New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a State of Emergency for Orange County and has activated the National Guard ahead of a major snow storm expected to bring up to three feet of snow to some areas. Stewart Airport in Newburgh will be playing a key role during the storm.
The State of Emergency goes into effect at 8:00pm tonight – Monday, March 13, 2023.
Equipment and personnel are being deployed to the Hudson Valley and other regions where the most snowfall accumulations are expected. The New York National Guard will mobilize 100 personnel and 20 vehicles to assist the State’s response to the storm.
At the Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, 20 Airmen will be on duty with equipment to provide some debris clearance, traffic control, and mobility support for the public. They will join 30 Airmen at the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia and 50 soldiers at the New York National Guard Headquarters in Latham.
The Department of Transportation will have tow trucks pre-staged on parts of Interstate 84 and Route 17.
The New York State Police will be adding additional patrols, and staging snowmobiles and utility terrain vehicles for immediate responses. All of their four-wheel drive vehicles are also in service.
“State agencies spent the weekend preparing emergency response assets, my team is in constant contact with local officials, and we have activated the National Guard to assist with emergency response. This storm will create hazardous road conditions through Wednesday morning, and I encourage New Yorkers in impacted regions to stay home and avoid any unnecessary travel to allow plow crews to do their job,” Hochul stated. “New Yorkers should prepare now for a multi-day event that will bring up to three feet of snow in certain parts of the Capital Region and Mid-Hudson region.”
The National Weather Service is warning that travel could be treacherous to impossible in some areas. Snowfall rates could exceed 2″ per hour at times in some areas. The snow will be wet and heavy. The weight of the wet snow coupled with gusty winds will likely cause power outages, the NWS warns. The wind-driven snow will also cause low visibility.
The State of Emergency includes all of the following counties: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Yates, and contiguous counties.
The latest Winter Storm Warnings are listed below:
- Orange County: 10:00pm Monday through 6:00am Wednesday. Total snow accumulations 4-12″ of heavy, wet snow. In elevations above 750 feet, 8-12″ are expected. Wind gusts to 40 mph.
- Western Ulster County: Now until 8:00am Wednesday. Total snow accumulations 12-24″ with localized amounts of three feet across the higher terrain. Wind gusts to 45 mph.
- Eastern Ulster and Dutchess Counties: 8:00pm Monday through 8:00am Wednesday. Total snow accumulations 6-12″. Wind gusts to 45 mph.
- Sullivan County: 6:00pm Monday through 8:00am Wednesday. Total snow accumulations 9-18″. Areas above 1,300 feet could see in excess of 20″. Wind gusts to 40 mph.
Live radar, the 7-day forecast, current conditions (including wind gusts), and much more can be seen at The Newburgh News Weather Center here.
