Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul is a Guest on NY1 to Update New Yorkers on Extreme Weather

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul joined NY1 to update New Yorkers on extreme weather as a winter storm system is poised to dump more than a foot of snow in the Mid-Hudson Region and cause dangerous travel conditions throughout Downstate during the Tuesday morning commute.

AUDIO of the Governor's remarks is available here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Lewis Dodley, NY1: Governor Kathy Hochul joins us now by phone. Governor, thank you for your time.

Governor Hochul Thank you and I really appreciate you getting the word out about what we expect to be a very hazardous commute starting early tomorrow morning. But just let's be very vigilant. This is the first major snowstorm that new Yorkers will have seen in the last, in three years, so we have to be ready for this.

Lewis Dodley, NY1: Yeah. Are there any special designations or actions that you guys are taking to deal with it?

Governor Hochul: We certainly are. We've been preparing for this for days. We're adjusting our updates all the time in terms of what we expect. In fact, the last hour we just upgraded the snow totals from six to eight inches for the entire event up to over 10 for New York City.

So this is becoming more dangerous so we're updating that. But also, in terms of our preparedness, we have over 1,800 plows all ready to go; we're surging equipment, surging personnel throughout the City, Long Island, the Mid-Hudson area; as well as we have over 6,400 utility workers standing by because we're expecting that this snow will be very heavy, wet and that has the potential to bring down power lines, which can be really quite devastating.

So we have all that in place. Also, a ban on tandem trailers and empty trucks on I-95, parts of that, I-97, I-94. So we're doing everything we can to take precautions at the State level, coordinating with local law enforcement and emergency responders as well.

But this is Mother Nature's showing us her love in her way for Valentine's Day with the biggest snowstorm to hit New York City in three years.

Lewis Dodley, NY1: Yeah, the City decided to go to remote learning tomorrow. Will that be statewide? Is this going to be a statewide snow event? Do you know?

Governor Hochul: No, it is actually it's moving rather rapidly. It's going to start in the south and move north, but at one point we thought it would cover Binghamton up to Albany. And our latest report, as of just minutes ago, shows it's going to be more concentrated in the Downstate area, go up the Hudson Valley, but not go as far north as we once predict.

So it'll not be a major statewide event, which is really positive for us because we can deploy the resources in a concentrated geographic area. When we have had predictions of statewide events, it's more difficult to designate where the plows go and the salters, and now we know exactly where it's going to hit. And we expect starting at midnight to one o'clock in the morning, we'll see snow totals of one to two inches an hour. And if you keep that going up until noon, the next, you know, that many hours of heavy snow really getting intense at 4 a.m., that's where we could get the 10 inches of snow from. So given that we have not been as accustomed to this in the City, and I live in the City, but I'm from Buffalo and I live in Albany, so I've seen it all.

This is one we want to encourage people to take public transportation if they have that as an option. Work remotely any way can, and just really just avoid it. But it really should be back to some semblance of normal by late afternoon.

Lewis Dodley, NY1: Now what about parents who have to work, can't find daycare, any provisions for them?

Governor Hochul: Oh, as a mother, that's always a concern when the kids are home from school. I know that there'll be, local schools may have some opportunities for parents to take advantage of, but I can't speak to an overall policy on that, but I know it really turns parents upside down.

If they could possibly work remotely themselves, like everyone did during COVID, that might be an option for the parents, feel like, take care of their kids home from school, but also stay connected with their jobs.

Lewis Dodley, NY1: Now let's pivot a little bit to that shooting in the Bronx. Anything you can tell us about that situation?

Governor Hochul: I just hung up with Janno Lieber, who's the CEO of the MTA. So I got an up-to-the-minute report on what happened. It was the 4 train. There were about 15 shots on it with a nine-millimeter weapon. One shooter, obviously it was a bystander we think was hit, but also four others were injured. Some on the platform.

We do have video that's being analyzed right now, so that's important in terms of identifying the culprit, and we feel very confident with New York City Transit Police and MTA police and NYPD working together, that they'll find this individual. But public safety is our number one concern. This is a rather rare event.

It's probably gang related. But no doubt about it, we're going to let our first responders do their work. But we have zero tolerance for violence anywhere on our subways, and we'll continue fighting for public safety and give people the assurances they need to know that they will get on our train safely and exit our train safely.

Lewis Dodley, NY1: Governor Kathy Hochul, thank you so much for joining us.

Governor Kathy Hochul: Thank you. Have a good night.

Contact the Governor's Press Office