DSNY Issues Snow Alert for Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 6 am

February 21, 2026

DSNY utilizing new strategies as second heavy snow in less than a month moves toward New York City

Property owners: Be prepared to clear your sidewalks and expect delays in collection as Sanitation Workers fight snow on roadways in every corner of the City

Walk-in registration to become an Emergency Snow Shoveler open this weekend, no appointment needed!

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has issued a Snow Alert for Sunday, February 22, 2026, beginning at 6 a.m. A Snow Alert is the Department's "higher level" snow-fighting notification, as opposed to the "lower level" Winter Operations Advisory. Forecast models are increasingly converging around a projection of 13-17" in much of the City, although localized variation up or down remains possible.

Coming less than a month after Winter Storm Fern, this significant snowfall will see the launch of several new strategies and early activations to get the City fully cleared and accessible faster.

• DSNY is putting plows and chains onto thousands of collection trucks now, and will be in a full-force operation as of 6 a.m. Sunday.
• 700 Salt Spreaders will be filled and ready to go, with conditions in this storm more in line with peak salt effectiveness.
• The Department will employ over 1,000 Emergency Snow Shovelers, reflecting a massive increase in enrollment due to sustained outreach since the last storm. Emergency Snow Shovelers will be working on both night and day shifts, and registration is still open without an appointment. Visit nyc.gov/snow to find out if you're eligible, and simply walk into a Sanitation garage with your required paperwork between 8am and 1pm Sunday.
• Other City agencies, including DEP, DOT, Parks, and NYPD, will be assisting with specific snow clearing efforts beginning throughout the day Sunday.
• Hundreds of pieces of outside equipment have been called in to work days earlier than in prior storms.
• New tracking mechanisms are in place to effectively and efficiently oversee clearance of unsheltered bus stops, crosswalks, and fire hydrants.

Remember, DSNY clears snow from all streets and bike lanes, and provides supplemental service on pedestrian infrastructure, but clearing snow from the sidewalk is the responsibility of the property owner! Property owners must maintain a four-foot path to allow a stroller or wheelchair to pass, and if a property's sidewalk includes an unsheltered bus stop or curb ramp, that area is included in the requirement. More information on this requirement is below.

Regarding trash collection, the same Sanitation Workers fighting snow are the people who pick up your trash, and residents will see delays for at least the first few days after this storm. If Monday is your recycling collection day, please HOLD that material inside for the following week if you are able - just like after some holidays. We will prioritize collection of trash and compost (the items that can produce odors or attract rodents), but rest assured, DSNY is on its way despite delays. For the small number of New Yorkers who receive collection from alleyways, alley service is suspended this week and material should be placed curbside, as is common after a snow storm.

As this weather event will begin as rain before turning to snow, brine will not be used. Instead, the City will rely on its supply of hundreds of millions of pounds of salt. Weather conditions are predicted to be very favorable towards salt effectiveness.

When plowable depths of two inches or more are reached, DSNY will activate its plowNYC portal, allowing near real-time tracking of plow operations on every City block. At that time, residents will be able to follow along at nyc.gov/plownyc.

New Yorkers should know: DSNY is working to ensure your safety. Do your part both for yourself and for the Strongest by staying off the roads during active precipitation or, if you absolutely must drive, by doing so slowly, safely and carefully. Conditions Sunday night may be very dangerous.

As a final reminder: Snow is not an excuse to litter or to not clean up after your dog. It's disgusting and illegal.

Snow Clearing Information

While DSNY clears streets and bike lanes, property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks. As a reminder, property owners and car owners may NOT push snow into the street, including bike lanes. This impedes snow clearing operations and is illegal. Snow may be moved against the building, to the curb line, or areas on private property. Sidewalks should be passable for all pedestrians, including a minimum 4-foot clear path, and unsheltered bus stops, fire hydrants, and curb ramps are included in this requirement.

If the snow stops falling between:

• 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., property owners must clear sidewalks within 4 hours
• 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., property owners must clear sidewalks within 14 hours
• 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., property owners must clear sidewalks by 11 a.m.

Property owners with Empire Bins are responsible for clearing snow and ice from the Empire Bin to facilitate collection.

All winter weather information and information about the City's response to the storm can be found by visiting the City's Severe Weather website at nyc.gov/snow or by calling 311.

New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for NotifyNYC, the City's free emergency notification system, available in 14 languages including ASL. Through NotifyNYC, New Yorkers can sign up to receive phone calls, text messages, and email alerts about severe weather events and emergencies. To sign up for NotifyNYC, call 311, visit nyc.gov/notify or follow @NotifyNYC.

Press Release #26-12