Snow Totals: Mayor Mamdani Explains Why NYC Schools Will Reopen Tuesday After Nearly Two Feet Falls
A winter storm that blanketed parts of the five boroughs with nearly two feet of snow overnight Sunday into Monday has prompted questions about local Snow Totals and school safety. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city will return public schools to in-person classes on Tuesday, citing a slowdown in snowfall and active response efforts that he says will make school sites ready to receive students and provide a warm meal.
Snow Totals: How much fell and when
The mayor described a heavy overnight event that affected parts of the five boroughs, with accumulations reaching nearly two feet in areas overnight Sunday into Monday. He framed the storm as largely abating, saying much of that snowfall has now come to pass and the city is entering a more moderate phase of precipitation for the next few hours. Snow Totals remain a focal point for families deciding whether to travel to school on Tuesday.
Why schools are reopening Tuesday
Mayor Zohran Mamdani explained the decision to bring public schools back to in-person learning on Tuesday by pointing to two conditions: a tapering of the storm’s intensity and coordinated readiness efforts by school staff. He said that present conditions give the city a greater ability to respond and that staff work today has prepared sites for students tomorrow morning. He also emphasized that schools will offer a warm meal when students arrive.
Sanitation, emergency teams and 8, 000 education staff
The city response described by the mayor includes the Department of Sanitation and emergency snow shovelers working to clear streets and sites. In addition, 8, 000 Department of Education employees have been deployed to prepare schools and sites. The mayor expressed confidence that the combination of sanitation crews, emergency shovelers, and the 8, 000 employees will enable schools to open safely and serve students on Tuesday.
Second double-digit storm in under two months
The mayor characterized the blizzard as the second snowstorm with double-digit snowfall totals he has faced in less than two months in office. He framed each storm as an opportunity to meet the needs of New Yorkers across the boroughs and to deliver on a standard of excellence. The recurrence of significant Snow Totals so soon after a prior major event adds pressure on response crews and school operations.
How residents can follow updates and watch the mayor
An app is promoted as a way to stay connected to the community and to get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. A video player of the mayor’s interview was made available to viewers who want to watch the full discussion of the in-person learning decision and the response to the second storm. For now, the mayor’s public statements and the deployment of sanitation, emergency shovelers, and 8, 000 education employees form the basis for the city’s plan to receive students Tuesday morning.
Unclear in the provided context: detailed neighborhood-by-neighborhood Snow Totals, specific road or transit impacts, and any contingency plans if conditions worsen were not provided in the available material.
