BROOKLYN, New York (WABC) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani told Eyewitness News Sunday morning that a decision on whether New York City public schools will be in person or remote would be announced by noon.
“Ultimately what this comes down to is safety,” Mamdani said. “If we have concerns about icy conditions or whether this would put anybody in harm’s way, we will always take the safer option.”
He is urging New Yorkers to stay off the roads as a major winter storm brings what could be the city’s most significant snowfall in years, combined with dangerously cold temperatures.
Speaking during a sanitation shift change in Brooklyn, the mayor said the storm stands out because of both its intensity and duration.
“We’re seeing estimates from 8 to 11 inches, potentially beyond that,” Mamdani said. “This is going to be the coldest extended period of time for New Yorkers that they’ve seen in the last eight years.”
LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm coverage
City officials are particularly concerned that residents may underestimate the severity of the weather.
“My number one concern is that there be New Yorkers around the city who don’t understand the scale of the weather that we’re looking at,” Mamdani said, stressing that today is “not the day to get out there.”
Instead, the mayor encouraged people to remain indoors while city workers handle storm response.
“Today is the day to stay indoors. Stay warm, huddle up with your family and friends,” he said, adding that sanitation crews are working extended shifts to keep streets passable.
The city has increased staffing to meet the challenge, deploying 2,500 sanitation workers on 12hour shifts. Mamdani said plows are activated citywide once snow reaches two inches.
“We’re going to be able to hit every single neighborhood, every single part of the city,” he said. “There’s no New Yorker that will have to wonder if their zip code means different service.”
———-
* Get the AccuWeather App
* More AccuWeather
* More local news
* Sign up for free newsletters
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit Weather Photos and Videos
Have weather photos or videos to share? Send to Eyewitness News using this form. Terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
