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"This Is Amazing": NYC Revels In First Big Snowstorm In Years
By
Jake Offenhartz
and
Gwynne Hogan
Published Dec 17, 2020
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By
Jake Offenhartz
and
Gwynne Hogan
Published Dec 17, 2020
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The much-hyped first winter storm of the pandemic era landed in New York on Wednesday evening, dumping close to a foot of snow on parts of the five boroughs, wreaking havoc on the roadways, and swiftly transforming this dirty old town into a pristine winter wonderland.
According to the city estimations, Central Park saw 8.5 inches over night, with totals averaging between 10.5 inches in the Bronx to just 6 inches in parts of Staten Island and Brooklyn. While the accumulations so far are on the lower end of the forecast, New Yorkers awoke on Thursday to more snow than we've seen in nearly five years.
"This is amazing," exclaimed Cecil Schieb, as he took his son to play near Tompkins Square Park on Wednesday night. "It felt like last year we never got a real snowstorm, he was doing snow angels on the concrete with like a dusting of snow."
The snow — of the powdery-yet-also-sticky variety, ideal for snowballs — is still flickering down from the sky, and is expected to taper off later this morning. It's going to stay cold in the hours afterward, so exercise caution out there and avoid any seemingly iced over lakes, as enticing as they may be.
On Wednesday night, six people were injured in a 27 vehicle crash that shuttered all southbound lanes of the Henry Hudson Parkway. There were no weather-related disruptions to the subway system.
As the snow picked up in the evening, several delivery workers abandoned their bikes, opting to rush orders on foot.
"You got the black ice, it's much easier to slide off the road," said Chris, a 25-year-old Door Dash employee. "I definitely don't want to get hit by a car, I've been hit by a car like five times already."
On Thursday morning, a group of volunteers helped clear the sidewalks outside several shuttered Chinatown businesses. For the most part, the city's outdoor dining structures seemed to have held overnight.
"If it rips open, it rips open," said Vinny Sgarlato, as he shook the snow off the tent outside his restaurant, Eleven B. "We'll worry about it next year."
In Central Park and elsewhere, sledders of all ages flew down hills, cackling with joy. A group of downhill skiers and snowboarders also tried their luck on the Williamsburg Bridge late Wednesday, slowly descending the pedestrian path while shaking a gloved fist at the Department of Transportation snowplow that had beat them there.
A downhill skier attempts to conquer the Williamsburg Bridge on Wednesday night
Jake Offenhartz/Gothamist
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snow
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gwynne Hogan
Gwynne Hogan is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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