Blizzard warning for Northeast

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - A Blizzard Warning is posted and a city snow alert has been issued for Monday night beginning at 11 pm.  This allows the sanitation department to begin its storm preparations.

The sanitation department will load salt spreaders, attaching plows, preparing tire chains, and will add extra personnel.

The City Office of Emergency Management has also issued a hazardous travel advisory for Tuesday.

The mayor urged New Yorkers to stay off the roads and keep them open for sanitation crews to clear the streets.

The National Weather Service said snow and strong winds will cause hazardous travel and potential for power outages with potential for significant snow, sleet, or ice accumulations.

Carlie Buccola, a weather service meteorologist based on Long Island, said a snowfall of 12 to 18 inches is predicted for the area along with sustained winds up to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. Visibility could be a quarter mile or less, Buccola said.

Other areas, including the lower Hudson Valley and northeastern New Jersey, also could get 12 to 18 inches of snow, she said. Those areas are not under a blizzard watch because high winds and low visibility are not expected.

Residents in the affected area are cautioned to prepare for the blizzard.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.