Charline Charles is a digital journalist from Brooklyn who has covered local news along with culture and arts in the New York City area since 2019. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.
NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) -- The winter months could bring snow, sleet, and even blizzards to New York City, putting a possible strain on the MTA subway system.
The MTA predicts that over 12 inches of snow or blizzard conditions could cause "significant service suspensions" or a full system shutdown. However, before that, there are several contingency plans in place for winter weather and extreme snowfall.
The agency provided a rundown of what service to expect based on the weather:
- Storm warning: Regular service.
- 1-7 inches of snow: Regular service. You might see salt and sand on platforms.
- 8-12 inches of snow: Reduced service, especially on express tracks.
- 12+ inches of snow, or blizzard conditions: Significant service suspensions or a full system shutdown are likely. You should only travel if it’s essential.
- Subzero temperatures, without precipitation: Regular or reduced service. Some express service might be suspended, depending on where we park trains to keep them out of the elements.
- Ice, sleet, freezing rain: Regular or reduced service. Some express service might be suspended, depending on where we park trains to keep them out of the elements.
The MTA also has pre-storm preparations including attaching scraper shoes to trains, prepping snow throwers, which work as snowblowers on the front of the train, and more.
The likelihood of a full system shutdown is extremely low. It has only happened once in the 119-year history of the city’s subway system, nine years ago. However, during a citywide shutdown, while passengers will not be allowed on the trains, they will still run to combat snow and ice conditions.
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