SOUTHERN BROOKLYN – New York City’s biggest blizzard in the past decade slammed Brooklyn on Sunday, Feb. 22, and into the following day.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency ahead of the snowstorm and issued a travel ban from 9 p.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Monday.
New York City public schools had a traditional snow day on Monday, but Mamdani announced that they would reopen the following day. The Department of Sanitation won’t collect trash on Monday or Tuesday.
According to Fox 5 News, as of early Monday afternoon, Sheepshead Bay got hit with the most snowfall in Kings County with 20.5 inches. Bay Ridge had 17 inches, and Coney Island got 16. During the storm, winds hit up to 60 miles per hour, and snow was expected to increase up to two inches by night.
The blizzard comes just after snow finally melted from the previous storm that hit the city on Jan. 25 and continued into the evening hours. The National Weather Service reported 10.2 inches of snow accumulated in Bay Ridge.
Locals have tried to make the most of a tiring and sometimes dangerous situation.
“I see the snow as a gentle reminder of God’s presence,” Father Randy Nguyen of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church. “There’s something about the stillness of winter that reveals beauty and peace in a unique way. It gives us an opportunity to slow down, reflect and become more aware of the quiet ways God touches our lives.”
“It reminds me of my childhood, when snow shoveling was a daily routine for me, starting in mid-December and ending in March,” said Sergey Nevzorov, who grew up in Orenburg, South Ural, Russia.
“I actually thought we were through the worst of winter with March so close to us,” said Bay Ridge resident Marianne Fezza. “Though we received more snow this time around than the last one, I think we will deal with it better, being that we won’t have the cold spell that accompanied it previously. I am one who enjoys looking at snow through a window, so I will be staying in for a couple of days and working on a puzzle.”
“I thought it was safe to put the shovel away, but here we go again,” said Ramon D., who also lives in Bay Ridge. “Between the freezing cold and the snowstorms, this has been the worst winter we’ve had in a long time. At least we didn’t lose power.”
SUNSET PARK — “As a resident of Marine Park, one of the great surprises I found biking around Industry City and visiting Japan Village was to discover Bush Terminal Park. I continue to be amazed at the serene hideaways that the city offers in some of the busiest places — and, still, with an iconic view.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — ‘A miracle that no one was killed …’ That’s what neighbors are saying about the collapse of the Hotel St. George marquee. Shown in this photograph are workmen beginning the removal and repair of the historic, old neon sign at the corner, referencing a relic of Brooklyn Heights’ past: the St. George Hotel.
ATLANTIC AVENUE — Exhausted shopper with cluster of bags and goods from mall at Boerum Place stops to look at huge construction site across the street. “Is that REALLY going to be a jail??” Her male companion is reassuring, “Nothing like Rikers … this is 21st Century.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Overheard in line at one of most popular pastry outlets on Montague Street: “Hope I can get them into a camp …” A mother with two pre-schoolers in tow was showing a friend the Dodge Y flyer for Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 18.
