New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, joined by NYC Emergency Management (NYCEM) and other officials, held a press conference on January 25, 2026, to update the public on the city’s response to a major snowstorm and sustained cold temperatures.
Key points from the press conference include:
- Remote School Day (1:09): All New York City public schools will switch to remote learning the following day due to extreme weather. All after-school programs, adult education, and school-based programming are canceled.
- Weather Forecast (2:14): The city expects up to 11 inches of snow with heavy snowfall continuing into the afternoon and wind gusts up to 35 mph. Light freezing rain is expected overnight, tapering off by noon the next day.
- Cold Weather Dangers and Homeless Outreach (2:44): The intense cold poses a fatal risk to those without shelter. Five New Yorkers were found deceased outdoors before the snow began, emphasizing the danger of extreme cold (2:56). The city has opened 10 warming centers in school buildings, in addition to 126 shelters, over 50 hospitals, and 35 safe havens (3:27). A “code blue” is in effect, ensuring no one is denied shelter (3:51).
- City Operations and Snow Removal (4:50): DSNY (Department of Sanitation New York) began pre-salting highways and major streets on Friday. Over 2,500 sanitation workers have been deployed, with more than 700 salt spreaders and 2,200 plow vehicles monitored by the DSNY’s BladeRunner system (5:00).
- Transportation Updates (6:00): All agencies are coordinating their efforts. The MTA is maintaining regular operations with some adjustments (6:21). The Long Island Railroad and Metro-North are operating on reduced schedules, and NYC Ferry service has been suspended (6:26). The Staten Island Ferry has moved to hourly service (6:43). All bus service at Port Authority has been suspended (6:49).
- Public Safety and Advice (7:47): New Yorkers are strongly advised to stay home and off the roads due to hazardous conditions. If shoveling, pace yourself and check on seniors and neighbors (8:15). The Mayor encourages New Yorkers to sign up for Notify NYC updates by texting “notify NYC” to 692692 (8:46).
- School Preparedness (10:10): The Chancellor of Schools, Kamar Samuels, reiterated the move to remote learning and highlighted the preparations made by educators and IT teams to ensure a successful virtual learning day. Students in grades K-8 will receive real-time and asynchronous instruction (11:14).
- MTA Operations Update (12:34): A representative from the MTA emphasized the ongoing efforts to keep transit running smoothly. All subway lines are operating, mostly as locals, with the entire bus fleet outfitted with chains (13:13). Commuter railroads are on modified schedules (14:44).
- Addressing Concerns (16:29): The mayor addressed questions regarding the five deaths, stating that at this time, it does not appear they were homeless, and an investigation is ongoing. He also explained the decision for a remote school day, citing state law requiring 180 days of instruction (20:48). For any technology issues with remote learning, parents can call the support desk at 718-935-5100, active from 6 AM to 6 PM (21:36).