gfunkdave

Apparently we're getting some snow tomorrow!

iadp

Some, ha! 20-30 inches in NYC is mind boggling. Driving back from the city I was listening to Sirius' weather channel. They said they expect it to be in the top 5 worst snow storms in recorded history if not #1.

I'm glad I pushed back my next TPAC flight until after the Super Bowl. Back to waxing my snowboard to the fresh powder

Analise

No one here is running to the grocery store. Everything is just a phone call or click away.

Blumie

Just came from Fairway in Chelsea where the line snaked around the store (normal for a weeknight at 6pm, but not a Sunday at 11pm). So perhaps no one is running to the grocery store, but they're getting there somehow.

Letitride3c

NY's outer boroughs, there are folks filling up their gas tank & portable container (for generators) and stopping @ Home Depot - always stocked up (and rotate) our inventory of RTE canned goods (+potable water.) Snowblower is ready along with good old shovel, where to pile up +20" snow is another story with temperatures not going above 32 until next week to melt them.

Among the tweeter feeds, NY Gov. Cuomo "NYS Thruway, I-84, LIE and @LIRR, @PATHTrain, @MetroNorth and @MTA close ahead of Mon evening commute due to storm." - that's not good, except businesses & employers release the staff earlier/by Monday afternoon to get home.

The mayor should consider an official snow emergency now in addition to suspending alternate side street parking rules - and for MTA to start putting chains on the city's fleet of buses overnight now.

Analise

Good morning! I just came back from Morton Williams to pick up some chicken for dinner and not only were the shelves well stocked as they usually are but there were no lines. Granted, not everyone stops in the store after their early morning workout.

Last night, local news was reporting about the long lines at the gas stations as there was concern that gasoline deliveries could be held up because of the big storm heading our way.

It was reported that they are indeed putting chains on all of the buses.

Letitride3c

Light snow started here in Queens about one hour ago, gas stations are opened, with short lines and seemed okay with adequate supply. Traffic around/in front of LGA is bad, lots of taxis & car services as folks trying to beat the cancellations & get out of town. Forecasts not really changing, will work out of home office for next few days & keep eyes out at Runway 31 from attic den.
No city buses with tire chains rolling yet n they are noisy but otherwise won't make those hills around town. DOS's salt spreaders are out on primary roads doing their work as promised. Pre-salted our walkway & long driveway as ground surface is cold.
Update: Flushing North's supermarket is packed & parking lot completely full, parked & walked around the corner & went inside to grab a few extra items - packed with extra customers for a typical weekday, some shelves are half empty but there are still bread, milk, eggs & basics and plenty of Spam - LOL and all of the cashier lines are open, with a short wait. In-n-out for me took maybe extra 3 minutes vs. usual, just a longer walk down the car to jump back into the SUV - which got an oil change, safety inspection checks and routine maintenance done earlier as scheduled, ready to roll again.
FT's - watch out for black ice, slippery sidewalks & paths, stay safe & good luck flying in or out

nerd

Plenty of long lines in the E. Village yesterday - 15+ minute waits to checkout instead of the usual 3-4.

Analise

I needed to run back to the store because I forget an ingredient for the dinner I'm making tonight (lemon chicken). Morton Williams like earlier this morning was as easy as it always has been. There were more customers inside but they also had every cash register available so there was no wait; they were prepared. The shelves were still stocked well. Out of curiosity, I went into a D'agostino and that indeed was crowded with long lines at the 2 registers out of 5 that were open (that they didn't open all registers like MW did was poor) and the shelves were maybe 1/2 stocked. Lesson learned is to look for a better market. There are so many that this is easy.

We've had light snow since early this morning.

gfunkdave

I don't understand where people are getting 20-30 inches. Weather Underground, which I've always found to be the most accurate forecaster, says 8-12" today plus another 3-5 tomorrow.

It'll all be fun unless the power goes out. But it didn't even go out during Sandy for me.

Blumie

Not a first hand sighting, but a friend just reported that the line to get into the Trader Joe's in Chelsea is "around the block." So maybe the lesson is to look for a worse market (e.g., Morton Williams)!

(That said, I'm with you. This being NYC and all, there's always going to be some place that will deliver food. Yeah, maybe I'll have to choose from 300 options rather than 600 options, but somehow I'll make do.)

I think what you are seeing is the consensus prediction, but at the same time forecasters are saying up to 3' is a possibility. And I think the politicians have learned that it's better to predict and prepare for the worst rather than to be caught with their pants down.

Letitride3c

Just a few quickie notes off live press briefings - NYC Mayor's just added, as of 11 PM - NYC will have a complete travel ban - streets & roads, highways will be "closed" to vehicle traffic except for emergencies & first responders - until further notice. NYC public schools will be CLOSED for Tuesday & ASP rules suspended thru Wednesay. FDNY's EMS/ambulances will be equipped (some, perhaps not all) with chains to get around (unlike 2010) at their stations ("depot") plus some 4WD ones along National Guard 4WD vehicles to respond to emergencies.

NJ & NY Gov. finished their midday briefing - resources mobilized. Non-essential NY State employees being released @ 3PM today. NYC subways will maintain regular service until 7 PM & will run on a reduced schedule until ... Metro North & LIRR will follow similar plans this evening (cutting back/stopping all service after 9 PM and/or when 10"+ snow on the tracks. Tractor trailer bans on I-84, NYST and I-95, etc. will go into effect by 3 or 4 PM. The messages are clear, get out & go home early and shelter in place, avoid non-essential and non-emergency travel. Utility outages are expected & further north & east (toward LI's twin forks) - plan for the worst. Pending weather update at 4 PM, a complete travel ban expected in place by 11 PM tonight across NY. Count on power outages if you are in area prone to such previously - I'm betting on our Fios to stay live or else ... 4G LTE mobile data will be "rationed" as 10GB will only go that far even if the cellular towers remained functional.

** CT expected to be hit worse and their major roadways will be shutting down early - State of CT will have a complete travel ban at 9 PM tonight until further notice. Check NYC.GOV and other official websites for more details - I'm sticking with twitter feeds to stay on top.

Analise

Not this one ESPECIALLY when compared with a Trader Joe's and a D'agastino but thanks for playing.

Yup.

According to Cuomo's early afternoon press conference, NYS will get updated storm model from the NWS at 4pm. He will then have another press conference to go finalize and confirm the MTA and highway closure updates.

Analise

This is the only thing that worries me. In previous blizzards, ambulances could not respond to many emergencies because major and minor roads weren't plowed.

Why would 4G LTE be rationed with functional towers? What about personal wifi?

Long Island could be hit as hard at CT.

Letitride3c

Curbside update, storm isn't quite here yet Main Street, downtown Flushing near gridlock, long lines for few buses , some equipped with tire chains. DOS plows are out but SER (NYC's designated Snow Emergency Routes) roads are just as slippery. Folks rushing home as stores closing early.
#NY Gov. Cuomo just announced a 13 downstate county-wide travel ban as of 11 PM Monday night, except for emergencies & first responders - including Nassau & Suffolk.
#Visibility dropping with fog, normally, planes are seen here on its final approach to LGA's Runway 31.
#NJ Transit will suspend all services as of 8 PM this evening, per OEM & Notify NYC tweet.


The worst is yet to come - FWD vehicles not properly equippped - struggled slipping, sliding sideway to get up small hills Those drivers & their vehicles should NOT be on the road at all, period.


Our T-Mo plans have 10GB of fast 4G/LTE data each month & get throttled gone over, normally we don't worry but if Fios failed due to power outage, will switch to mobile data - just don't want to run things @ 2G/Edge speed, LOL.
#Overall forecast now for 24"+ and it's up from midday. Yulp, LI is going get hit even worst, ditto for CT to our north. Phew, finally home & off our secondary roads - SUV sheltered in our driveway & done shoveling a small walk path in front of our house. Let's go have a blizzard party.