NEW YORK — The Northeast is preparing for a major snowstorm at a key moment in the coronavirus pandemic.
It's coming days into the beginning of a massive vaccination campaign and in the thick of a virus surge that has throngs of people seeking tests per day.
The storm is poised to drop as much as 2 feet of snow in some places by Thursday.
Snow, sleet and freezing rain is moving north and east across the mid Atlantic region late this morning. Here are the latest snowfall and ice accumulation forecasts for the storm. pic.twitter.com/D6oTJ9bzAq
— NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) December 16, 2020
The pandemic is adding new complexities to officials’ preparations, from deciding whether to close testing sites to figuring out how to handle plowing as outdoor dining platforms crowd New York City streets.
Still, officials say they don't expect the winter blast to disrupt vaccine distribution.
New York City is also preparing its mass transit and school systems for the oncoming snowstorm. The city’s public schools will remote learn Thursday instead of learning in-person. Transit agencies in the area are shifting schedules to accommodate those who must travel.
As of Wednesday at 10:30 p.m. ET, the heaviest snow fell in Central Pennsylvania, with Dushore, Pennsylvania, reporting 18.5 inches of snow. The area was still being blanketed by snow. Locales around Philadelphia and New York City reported 4 to 6 inches of snow, while areas around Pittsburgh had over 6 inches.
The storm is expected to taper off by noon Thursday, WPIX reports.
