Snow falling at 1 to 3 inches per hour
Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Monday (Feb. 1) in the Hudson Valley, including Dutchess and Putnam counties, because of an ongoing winter storm that could dump up to 18 inches on the region, according to the National Weather Service.
“This storm is no joke and the main concern right now is that the expected snowfall rate of 2 inches per hour this afternoon creates an extremely dangerous situation on our roadways,” Cuomo said in a statement. “When snow is falling that quickly, it makes it very difficult for plows to keep up with it.“
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He said the storm is expected to be “a long-duration event” into tonight and, in some upstate locations, Wednesday morning. The highest snow totals are expected in the Mid-Hudson region, as well as in New York City and Long Island. Blowing and drifting snow will likely cause reduced visibility and treacherous driving conditions in some places, Cuomo said.
In a typical shifting of resources during storms, the state Department of Transportation said on Monday it was deploying 96 plow operators, four supervisors, 14 plow trucks and four snowblowers to the Mid-Hudson region from other areas of the state.
There were no reported local power outages as of noon on Monday, according to a Central Hudson map of the area.
On Twitter, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell wrote: “We’re now expecting up to 20 inches with wind gusts up to 40 mph. The winds are our biggest concern. That’s when trees fall, power outages happen and roads get really, really hazardous. Stay home, check on your neighbors, stay safe!” She declared a state of emergency that continues through Feb. 6.
Metro-North resumed service at 4 a.m. on Tuesday (Feb. 2) after suspending trains on Monday afternoon.
A ban on commercial vehicles on Interstate 84 from the Pennsylvania to Connecticut state lines was lifted at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
Cold Spring
In Cold Spring, there is no parking on village streets overnight on Tuesday. Cars left on the street will be ticketed and may be towed, the village said.
The parking restrictions may be in place for a few days, the village said; check coldspringny.gov or call the Winter Parking hotline at 845-747-7669 for updates. The village also asked residents to stay off the roads. “The Highway Department is out there working hard to keep the streets clear for all of us, especially first reponders and emergency crews,” it said in a statement.
Garbage pick-up has been rescheduled for Wednesday (Feb. 3). The Drug World COVID-19 vaccine clinic scheduled for Monday has been moved to Feb. 3.
Village Offices are closed. Email [email protected] with questions or to request assistance.
In Cold Spring, the owner and/or occupant of each building and lot in the village must keep at least a three-foot width of sidewalk free of snow and ice or covered with sand and other materials (excluding those detrimental to concrete such as calcium chloride). Sidewalks in front of commercial establishments and parking lots must be kept free of snow and ice between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and all other sidewalks must be cleared within 18 hours after the end of a storm.
Putnam County offices were closed on Monday and Tuesday, and public transportation was not operating.
Beacon
Beacon government offices will be operating remotely on Feb. 1 and closed to the public. Do not park on city streets after 2 inches of snow fall but use city lots. Parking lots will be plowed 24 hours after the snow stops falling and sidewalks should be cleared no later than 24 hours after the snow stops falling. Do not throw snow into the road.
To receive updates, sign up for the city’s Public Safety Alerts at beaconny.gov.
The City Council meeting scheduled for Monday night will take place remotely. See cityofbeacon.org.
Dutchess County government offices are scheduled to open on Tuesday at noon. The DMV will honor Tuesday appointments on Thursday (Feb. 4) at the same time and location. Dutchess County public transit will resume on Tuesday at noon. See dutchessny.gov/publictransit or call 845-473-8424 (TDD/TTY: 711) for updates.
