New York City Mayor announced snow preparations starting Saturday for a winter storm forecast to bring 3-4 inches total Sunday into Monday, with a smaller chance exceeding 6 inches, in an X post at 9:15-9:45 PM UTC window on February 20, 2026, to ensure street clearance and shelter for vulnerable residents amid the Tri-State Winter Storm Watch. https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2024957244685623321 The Department of Sanitation will initiate pre-snow operations Saturday, including mounting plows, loading salt spreaders, and shifting to 12-hour rotations Sunday with over 5,000 workers, according to the mayor's statement. Code Blue activates 24/7 outreach across all boroughs, guaranteeing no denials of shelter, with 311 available for support requests. Daytime highs in the mid to upper 30s and overnight lows in the 20s may cause slick roads and icy sidewalks Sunday night into Monday. This follows the National Weather Service's Winter Storm Watch for the Tri-State area from Sunday 6am through Monday 6am, forecasting 6-12+ inches and winds gusting 30-50 mph, as reported by YWNReporter in the prior window ending 8:16 PM UTC. Earlier NAM model runs shared by Meteorologist MikeT Fox5, including the 18z update, tracked the storm in the window ending 9:15 PM UTC, building on NWS elevation to "Elevated" threat for DC, Northeast, and East Coast with 50-80% chances of 5+ inches.
