Alternate Side Parking Restrictions Suspended As Area Braces For Snowstorm

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for all of New York City, lasting through today and tomorrow morning, with eight inches of snow and 40 mile-per-hour wind gusts predicted.

It’s the first snowstorm of the year, and is forecast to have near-blizzard conditions and single-digit temperatures.

The snowstorm will deliver its biggest blow to New York City this evening, during the rush hour commute, when the heavier snow is expected to fall.

The Sanitation Department has already gone into snowstorm mode, loading salt spreaders at facilities across the facility.

Alternate side parking is suspended for today. Parking meters remain in effect.

Here are a few tips for weathering the storm and staying warm and safe:

• Avoid unnecessary travel – Wet or icy roads are dangerous enough. But also avoid going out on foot or any other means. Strong winds could dislodge tree limbs or other debris, which can turn deadly.
• Prepare for power outages – Charge all of your mobile devices and any other electronics you may need, and make sure you have fresh batteries in your radios and alarm clocks. Con Edison infrastructure is still vulnerable following Superstorm Sandy, and power lines can be knocked out.
• We hate telling people to stock up on water, gasoline and other such supplies, but if you can, you should.
• Check on your neighbors, especially if you live next to senior citizens or disabled people.
• When shoveling, don’t overexert yourself, and be aware of utilities. Don’t cover up fire hydrants in mounds of snow.

The progress of snow plows can be monitored PlowNYC, set up after complaints from the 2010 blizzard.

Turn to Sheepshead Bites for the latest information from government authorities and utility companies, school, transit and road closures, as well as on-the-ground reports from readers around the neighborhood.

And remember to save our e-mail address (tips [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com), phone number (347-985-0633) and Twitter account (@sheepsheadbites) into your phone. If you see downed trees or power lines, flooding, or anything else, snap a photo with your cell phone and e-mail, text or Tweet it over.

Oh, and send all your pretty snow photos over to photos [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com.