New York City Braces For Major Sunday Snowstorm

New York City, along with much of the Tri-State area, is facing a formidable bout of winter weather as a fresh round of snow sweeps through the region on Sunday, January 18, 2026. After a quick-hitting storm on Saturday left city streets dusted with one to two inches of snow, meteorologists and city officials are warning that Sunday’s storm could pack a bigger punch, with accumulations and hazards that demand both vigilance and patience from residents and travelers.

The city’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and Office of Emergency Management have been working around the clock to prepare for the storm. According to WABC, nearly 1,000 sanitation workers with more than 700 salt spreaders were deployed overnight, and the number of workers was set to double to about 2,000 on Sunday. This marks the first major snowstorm of the year—and notably, the first for Mayor Zohran Mamdani since taking office.

Early forecasts underestimated the storm’s intensity, but by Sunday morning, the National Weather Service and city agencies had expanded Winter Weather Advisories across a wide swath of the region. As FOX 5 New York reported, the advisory now covers the Lower Hudson Valley, Northeast New Jersey, New York City, Nassau County, and Fairfield, Connecticut from 7 a.m. to midnight, with Suffolk County, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London, Connecticut under advisory from 10 a.m. Sunday until 4 a.m. Monday. The culprit: an area of low pressure developing off the Southeast coast, with its effects being felt throughout the day.

“Take it easy, take it slow. We’ve had instances where we have treated the roadways and motorists are just going a little too fast,” acting NYC Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan told Eyewitness News. The city’s winter weather emergency plan was activated, and a travel advisory issued, warning that the heaviest snow would fall between 8 a.m. and noon. The city’s Severe Weather website and 311 hotline were set up to provide real-time updates and resources for concerned residents.

By the numbers, the region was bracing for a widespread 3 to 5 inches of snow on Sunday, according to FOX 5 New York, with isolated pockets in eastern Connecticut possibly seeing as much as 7 inches. This followed the 1 to 2 inches that had already blanketed New York City on Saturday. NBC New York described the weekend’s weather as a “two-part event”: Sunday morning would bring the first wave of snow, followed by a midday lull, then a heavier, more sustained round of snowfall starting in the afternoon and continuing into the night. For city dwellers, Long Islanders, and residents of central New Jersey, totals were expected to range from 1 to 3 inches, while areas farther north and west could see up to 5 inches.

But the snow itself isn’t the only concern. As temperatures drop, black ice becomes a major hazard, making travel treacherous even after the snow has stopped falling. The Department of Sanitation is well-stocked, with approximately 700 million pounds of salt on hand, and will be activating its GPS operations room—featuring the new Bladerunner 2.0 tracking system—to monitor and direct salting and plowing efforts citywide. Plows are standing by, ready to be dispatched to any neighborhood that sees two inches or more of accumulation, and thanks to recent investments, every street and bike lane in the city is now on a snow clearance route. This means, unlike in years past, all routes can be serviced simultaneously, bringing what officials call “equity in snow clearance” to every corner of the city.

Residents are being asked to do their part as well. While DSNY is responsible for streets and bike lanes, property owners must clear the sidewalks in front of their buildings, maintaining at least a four-foot-wide path for pedestrians. The city has made it clear: pushing snow into the street or bike lanes is illegal and impedes snow clearing operations. Fines for failing to clear sidewalks start at $100 for a first offense and can rise to $250 for repeat violations. For those with Empire Bins, it’s also their responsibility to clear snow and ice to facilitate collection.

Despite the storm, there’s no anticipated change to the city’s trash, recycling, or compost collection schedule—except for Monday, January 19, when services will be suspended in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Collections will resume on Tuesday, January 20, though some delays are possible due to the holiday and lingering winter weather conditions.

For those who must venture outside, city officials urge caution. “DSNY is working to ensure your safety. Do your part both for yourself and for the Strongest by staying off the roads during active precipitation or, if you absolutely must drive, by doing so slowly, safely and carefully,” the Department of Sanitation stated in its press release. The message is clear: the best way to stay safe is to stay off the roads during the heaviest snow, but if travel is unavoidable, drivers should proceed with extreme caution.

Even for the city’s most dedicated outdoor enthusiasts, the weather poses a challenge. Eyewitness News caught up with David Lee, a regular in Central Park, who braved the elements for his weekend run. “I run every weekend, Saturdays and Sundays, race walk actually, and do a little running religiously for the past probably 30 years,” Lee shared. Despite some hesitation, he decided to stick to his routine. “You know, I was conflicted a little bit. I was thinking, I don’t know, I do it in the snow all the time, but this morning it feels cold and kind of wet. But yeah, I’m ok and I’m out here.”

Looking beyond the storm, the weather isn’t set to improve any time soon. As NBC New York notes, once the snow clears, a surge of cold air will bring the lowest temperatures of the season so far, with lows in the mid to upper teens expected by Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and daytime highs struggling to rise above the 20s. The chill is likely to persist for the rest of the week, keeping temperatures below normal for this time of year.

To keep the public informed, the city encourages all residents to sign up for NotifyNYC, its free emergency notification system available in 14 languages, including American Sign Language. Through this service, New Yorkers can receive alerts about severe weather and other emergencies via phone, text, or email.

For the latest information on the city’s response to the storm, residents can visit nyc.gov/snow or call 311. As the snow continues to fall and the city’s response unfolds, one thing is clear: New York is ready to tackle winter head-on, with a combination of preparation, technology, and community cooperation.