Cuomo Declares State Of Emergency For Winter Storm

NEW YORK, NY — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency in the counties hit hard by Wednesday's winter storm. The state of emergency is in effect for all of New York City as well as surrounding counties such as Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk, the governor's office announced Wednesday afternoon.

"As Mother Nature once again tests our great state, we have taken proactive measures in anticipation of the storm's heavy, wet snow that could impact power lines and cause dangerous travel conditions," Cuomo said Wednesday afternoon. "I have activated the State Emergency Operations Center, National Guard members are being deployed, and I am urging New Yorkers to plan ahead for the harsh weather conditions expected throughout the rest of the day."

Three-hundred New York National Guard members will be deployed to areas hit by the storm Wednesday, Cuomo said. The governor is also readying rapid response teams on the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad to combat any weather-related complications to travel.

Snow began falling in the New York City area around 7 a.m. Wednesday and is expected to continue into the night. The city could get snow accumulations as high as 18 inches and much of the surrounding area could see as much as 15 inches of snow on the ground by the time the storm ends.

Driving conditions are expected to be dangerous Wednesday as snow will be falling at a rate of one to two inches per hour, the governor's office said. Combined with high winds and wet road conditions, drivers are being asked to avoid the roads if possible, and to exercise caution if they need to drive.

Up-to-date weather forecasts and alerts can be found at the National Weather Service website.

Photo courtesy New York governor's office