NEWYORK: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced a sweeping, citywide mobilization to prepare New York City for winter weather, including a $25 million investment in an expanded Code Blue system and a supercharged snow and ice clearing operation.
Across City agencies, thousands of workers, new equipment and enhanced emergency protocols are being readied to protect New Yorkers from extreme cold and keep the city moving through the winter months.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a strong El Niño is expected to bring a warmer, wetter winter, increasing the likelihood of rain, sleet and ice, as well as potentially heavy, wet snow during major storms.
“We have spent the past year preparing for any challenge winter throws our way. We have trained our workers, readied our equipment and strengthened our protocols because keeping New Yorkers safe can’t begin when the first storm hits,” said Mayor Mamdani.
“This winter, we’re doing things differently — we’re expanding Code Blue to reach more New Yorkers in need, equipping New York’s Strongest to clear snow and ice faster and leaving no stone unturned when it comes to protecting our neighbors from the cold. No New Yorker should face the dangers of winter alone, and no part of our city should be left behind.”
“Throughout 2026, we have been working closely with our partner agencies, nonprofit agencies, elected officials and other stakeholders to update our winter plans and include all that we learned during the extreme cold temperatures and snowstorms that New York City experienced earlier this year,” said NYCEM Commissioner Christina Farrell.
“Winter weather can be dangerous for everyone, but particularly for vulnerable populations. With just a few weeks until the official start of the winter, we encourage New Yorkers to review and update their winter heating safety and emergency plans. Visit nyc.gov/beready to get started.”
Last winter, Mayor Mamdani coordinated dozens of agencies during the city’s first-ever 24-hour Enhanced Code Blue activation. The administration opened new warming shelters, deployed warming buses and activated the City’s Strengthening Communities partner network in person for the first time.
This winter, Mayor Mamdani is building on those efforts with a new, upgraded Code Blue system that will put more outreach teams, vehicles and warming sites in the field as cold weather intensifies.
