The Blizzard of 2026 in New York City, Tri-State area

New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency for 22 counties, effective Sunday morning, as a blizzard approaches the region.

"This is one to take seriously," Hochul said in a news conference Saturday, offering special warnings to vulnerable areas on Long Island, especially places that are prone to coastal flooding, which will be a big factor in this storm.

100 members of the New York State National Guard have already been activated, Hochul said, and will be stationed across Long Island, New York City, and the Lower Hudson Valley, available to back up first responders and assist as needed.

The state will also have 25 vehicles to assist downstate response operations. It will include a new snow-and-ice rescue vehicle that can accommodate up to 20 people who might be stranded on roads. The vehicle will be sent to Long Island.

Hochul has been in touch with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and leaders of neighboring counties. The state is stockpiling extra equipment and emergency response crews are at the ready.

Th state DOT has more than 2,000 plows on standby and 5,800 utility workers ready to deal with outages.

Mayor Zohram Mamdani said Saturday that any decision on school closures will be announced on Sunday. A blizzard is poised to strike the city on Sunday into Monday, the first in a decade.

By Sunday at noon, he said the city would be able to announce the decision, giving officials more time to evaluate the storm's potential impact.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said a state of emergency will go into effect for all 21 counties in New Jersey starting at 12 p.m. Sunday.

"I urge New Jerseyans to use caution, stay off the roads, and follow all safety protocols during the storm," she said in a post on X.

The New York City Department of Sanitation is readying resources for the incoming winter storm.

5,000 workers will be on 12-hour shifts as they work to keep the streets passable for as long as possible, with thousands of vehicles working to clear streets.

Marcus Solis has the latest on DSNY's efforts.

Marcus Solis reports.