Hunkered underneath a heavy hat, hood, warm winter coat and snow boots, Bob Peterson quietly rode a No. 5 train to Harlem on Saturday, relishing a moment of calm before the storm.
“I did everything yesterday,” Peterson, 47, told the Daily News as he enjoyed his ride through the city, looking forward to a meet-up with friends. “I went shopping yesterday. Did all that stuff yesterday. So, now I’m just waiting for the storm.”
He and more than 8 million others were preparing themselves as subfreezing temperatures gripped the city — a small preview of what’s expected to come on Sunday.
Across the five boroughs, residents were emptying store shelves of perishables and other supplies they felt they needed for the next few days as anywhere between 8 and 14 inches of snow, followed by sleet and freezing rain, is expected to pound the city.
At major supermarket chains, produce and meat were in short supply as last-minute shoppers hustled to stock up. MTA subway stops in Queens were already covered in snowmelt as a precautionary measure.
One merchant was seen attaching more plastic to his front door to prevent frigid drafts as temperatures are expected to remain below freezing throughout the week.
“Frankly, it will be colder than any sustained period that New York has experienced in about eight years,” Mayor Mamdani said Saturday speaking at the Spring St. Salt Shed in the West Village, where scores of city Department of Sanitation salt spreaders were loading up.
“But New York, whatever comes for it, this city is ready,” the mayor said. “Over the past days, city workers have worked tirelessly to prepare our city for the snow and for the cold.”
According to the latest forecasts, snow was expected to begin falling at around midnight on Sunday and grow in intensity before dawn. The heaviest snow will come late morning and early afternoon, followed by sleet in the evening, Mamdani said.
“Visibility will be very low. Winds will be gushing at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour,” he said. “New Yorkers can expect white out or near blizzard conditions.”
Mamdani recommended everyone wait out the storm at home.
“I urge every New Yorker who can, to put a warm sweater on, turn on the TV, watch ‘Mission Impossible’ for the 10th time, and, above all, to stay inside,” he said. “We are ready for this storm together and, together New York, we are going to get through this.”
Ashley Conley, a manager at an Upper East Side gym taking the No. 5 train to work from Astoria, said she hopes to heed Mamdani’s request on Sunday.
“If I didn’t have work, I definitely wouldn’t be leaving the house this weekend,” the 28-year-old said. “I don’t know anybody that is scared. I feel like everybody that doesn’t have to be out is probably staying inside.”
While most people plan to hunker down, the Great White Way is not afraid of the coming white stuff. The Broadway League said on Friday that “Broadway shows in New York City for the coming weekend are currently scheduled to perform as planned.”
If the storm gets worse, it will be up to the individual theaters to close, officials said. Those planning to see a show, but are now hoping for a refund can “contact their point of purchase directly.”
While prepared, Peterson, a lifetime New Yorker, isn’t too worried about the white-out city officials are expecting.
“I’m going to go out and take pictures of the storm in New York City. New York city’s very beautiful in the winter,” he said. “We used to get these (storms) all the time in the early ’90s. I think New York city’s prepared. Listening to the news, they’re saying that they will be prepared for the storm.”
As the preparations continue, Peterson said he was thankful for his giant scarf he proudly wore across his neck.
“(It’s one) I usually see women wear, but I’m going to wear this because it can’t be gender-based today,” he joked. “It has to be warm-based today.”
