The storm left well over a foot of snow in parts of the area, and cold air will be locked in place into early February.
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The winter storm of January 2026 that once covered 2,000 miles across the nation has pulled away, leaving New York City and the Tri-State area to dig out from the biggest snowfall in years.
The big dig coincided with the start of the work week, with motorists faced with treacherous drives and commuters on public transit that contended with challenges, too, though subway service was largely normal.
The storm left almost a foot and half of snow in parts of the region, while Central Park came in at 11.4 inches, a record for the day. These were not the final numbers and could go up.
There were a few more scattered snow showers early Monday but the bulk of the storm has headed out to sea. Monday's notable weather feature was the bone-chilling cold, and it will linger through at least the next seven days. Temperatures are not expected to top the freezing mark until Feb. 3, when a high of 33 is expected, still well below normal.
That means the snow and ice will stick around at least into early February.
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For many people, it was back to work Monday following Sunday's snowstorm.
It's bitter cold, and for those who work outdoors, it's not going to let up anytime soon.
Eyewitness News reporter Tanya Rivero spoke to people braving the arctic blast on Monday.
In Westchester County, residents in Tuckahoe were digging out from about a foot of snow.
As has been the case in many places, cars parked along the street are still buried.
Meanwhile in Yonkers, there are road signs warning drivers to take it slow on the Sprain Brook Parkway.
At the Metro-North train station in Bronxville, a mountain of snow was left behind after crews cleared the platform for the Monday morning commute.
Eyewitness News reporter Joe Torres was in Somers, which got some of the most snow in the Tri-State with 17 inches.
After storm dumped a foot-and-a-half snow in his backyard, Somers homeowner Matt Pasqualini tossed aside the shovel and push broom in favor of the snow blower.
The northern Westchester town got hammered by the storm, which brought down 17 inches of snow.
After working through the night, the Somers Highway Department asked people to stay off the roads Monday so workers could finish the job, which took a toll on physical stamina and mechanical equipment like the hoppers and spreaders that clogged when the road salt froze into large chunks.
Two towns away in the commercial hub of Mount Kisco, there were all sorts of snow clearing equipment.
People ventured outside to not only begin the dig out, but also to assess the damage.
Monique Dacosta and her husband found their outside canopy on the ground after being brought down by the weight of all the snow.
On Stiles Street in Union County, New Jersey, a couple of young men were making headway, after hours of trying to stay ahead of the falling snow.
The focus wasn't their individual homes, it was a concerted effort to help every single neighbor dig out cars, clear driveways and clean windshields.
After the most significant snow the state has seen in a few years, Gov. Mikie Sherrill praised state agencies for their fast work to clear roads.
"The people of New Jersey should be proud of their public workers," she said. "We all owe you a debt of gratitude."
Miller Street is one street over from Stiles, and neighbors tackled the snow there as a team.
Mayor Mamdani announced all New York City public schools will be open for in-person learning on Tuesday.
All programs and activities will resume as scheduled.
"Thanks to the round-the-clock work of our schools facilities teams, we are ready to welcome students and staff back to classrooms tomorrow. I am deeply grateful to our school leaders, educators and families for making today's remote learning day a success and for preparing our students to return," Mamdani said.
