Snow is falling at around two inches per hour leading to very dangerous travel. Gov. Cuomo warns he may shut down some roads in the region.

On Monday around 2:15 p.m., The New York State Department of Transportation released a video of a snow-covered I-84 in Dutchess County.


The NYSDOT also shared photos of a snow-covered Taconic State Parkway in Putnam County and the Sprain Brook Parkway in Westchester County as well as white out conditions in Newburgh.

With snowfall of about two inches per hour snowplows can only travel at 35 miles per hour, officials say.

Below is video sent to Hudson Valley Post from Route 9 in Dutchess County.

 

[video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://townsquare.media/site/854/files/2021/02/received_241220264281900.mp4"][/video]

"Tow plows are able to clear multiple highway lanes in one swoop, allowing for a more efficient process. We continue to urge motorists to stay off the roadways," the NYSDOTHV tweeted while sharing a video from Interstate 684, Goldens Bridge in Westchester County.

Also on Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency to cover 44 New York counties, including the entire Hudson Valley, as a slow-moving Nor'easter is poised to produce blizzard-like conditions for the next two days with wind gusts ranging from 40 to 60 mph.

"This storm is creating very dangerous travel conditions throughout much of the state, making it critically important that New Yorkers stay home and stay off the roads," Governor Cuomo said. "Forecasts are projecting that the snowfall rate could reach two inches per hour this afternoon, and when that happens, it makes it extremely difficult for plows to keep up, especially with other vehicles on the road. Our crews and emergency responders are already hard at work and are fully prepared to help any locality in need of assistance. This storm is nothing to mess around with so again, please stay off the roads, keep a close eye on your local weather, and check in with neighbors and loved ones to ensure they are safe."

Additionally, Governor Cuomo has deployed 130 Members of New York National Guard to the areas expected to be hardest hit throughout the Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island.

Given the expected impacts the storm will have on New York's transportation system, short and long tandems remain banned on portions of the New York State Thruway. Specifically, this includes I-87 from the New York City Line to Exit 24 in Albany, as well as on all of I-95 and I-287. Additionally, empty trailers are banned on I-87 between Exit 8 to Exit 21A, on the Berkshire Spur and on the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. A speed reduction of 45 mph is in place on I-87 between Exit 17 for Newburgh and the NYC line, as well as I-287, I-95 and the Garden State Parkway. The speed on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge has been reduced to 35 mph. Similar speed advisories of 45 mph will be employed on State Parkways, Route 17, I-684 and I-84.

I-84 may have a travel ban if the snowfall rate continues, Cuomo said.

Trailer bans have also been implemented on roadways outside of the Thruway system. Currently, empty trailers and tandem trailers are banned on MTA bridges and tunnels, Port Authority bridges, I-84 from Pennsylvania state line to Connecticut state line, on Route 17 East of Binghamton to the New Jersey state line, and on the entire length of I-684.

Hudson Valley Weather believes one to two inches of snow could fall per hour from noon until late Monday in Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties. The storm should intensify in the northern parts of the Hudson Valley later Monday afternoon.

"By 8 p.m., on top of what's already fallen, another foot of snow from the Mid-Hudson Valley on South. Snow continues (to fall) from there. Basically, the models continue to imply, on top of what's already fallen, we are still expecting (another) 10 to 20 inches of snow," Hudson Valley Weather said live on Facebook. 

As for total snowfall, Hudson Valley Weather continues to project the storm will drop 12 to 24 inches of snow in the Hudson Valley with 18 to 30 inches of snow in the Eastern Catskills.

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