New York City begins post-storm snow cleanup as second snowstorm looms
By
Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated Feb 8, 2021 3:21 PM EDT
Cleanup following the major snowstorm that hit the Northeast this week is underway. AccuWeather's Dexter Henry is in New York City with a look at how the Big Apple is getting rid of the snow.
A major nor'easter dropped plenty of snow throughout New York City this past week -- and the state is now navigating a tricky cleanup process to remove the remnants of the storm before the next one rolls in.
Parts of New York City saw up to 19 inches of snow during the last storm, and while the forecast for this weekend's snowstorm in the Northeast calls for much less, the city is now working to remove what is left over before more snow moves into the city.
For many cities, snow removal can be a hassle, and New York City's Department of Sanitation has come up with an efficient way to remove event the most significant of snowfalls.
"A lot of questions that people often ask the department of sanitation in a big snowstorm like this is 'what do you do with all that snow?'" New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Edward Grayson said.
When the piled up snow becomes too much for the city, the Department of Sanitation uses special snow melters to melt it all into liquid. To avoid any flooding within the city, the melted snow is then redirected to a water treatment center, AccuWeather's Dexter Henry reported.
Melted snow in New York City is funneled to a water treatment center through the use of a sewage line. (Photo/Dexter Henry)
"We station these melters on top of an approved DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] sewage line and the output goes to a water treatment center," Grayson explained.
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The Department of Sanitation has seven large snow melters spaced out across the city to speed up the removal process.
"We're going to bring a mountain of snow to these locations and looking to get rid of it," Greyson said.
The melters can remove a substantial amount of snow in a short period of time with the ability to melt down 60 tons of snow per hour, making them a useful tool for densely populated cities.
The melters have been used in New York for over 20 years and are able to process snow at a rate of 240 gallons of water per minute. The machines are necessary in the city anytime a major snowstorm rolls into the area, Henry reported.
Mountains of snow in New York City are brought to snow melters placed throughout the city.
With another snowstorm on the way for the Northeast, Grayson said it is even more essential to remove the snow that is already piled up throughout the city.
The department is also asking residents to clear sidewalks and walkways that may still have snow on them.
"Not only is it a significant snowfall that's gonna definitely warrant a melter," Grayson said, "but we're also looking to deploy and start melting snow to free up room specifically when we think that there's a secondary event coming."
Reporting by Dexter Henry
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News / Winter Weather
New York City begins post-storm snow cleanup as second snowstorm looms
By Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated Feb 8, 2021 3:21 PM EDT
Cleanup following the major snowstorm that hit the Northeast this week is underway. AccuWeather's Dexter Henry is in New York City with a look at how the Big Apple is getting rid of the snow.
A major nor'easter dropped plenty of snow throughout New York City this past week -- and the state is now navigating a tricky cleanup process to remove the remnants of the storm before the next one rolls in.
Parts of New York City saw up to 19 inches of snow during the last storm, and while the forecast for this weekend's snowstorm in the Northeast calls for much less, the city is now working to remove what is left over before more snow moves into the city.
For many cities, snow removal can be a hassle, and New York City's Department of Sanitation has come up with an efficient way to remove event the most significant of snowfalls.
"A lot of questions that people often ask the department of sanitation in a big snowstorm like this is 'what do you do with all that snow?'" New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Edward Grayson said.
When the piled up snow becomes too much for the city, the Department of Sanitation uses special snow melters to melt it all into liquid. To avoid any flooding within the city, the melted snow is then redirected to a water treatment center, AccuWeather's Dexter Henry reported.
Melted snow in New York City is funneled to a water treatment center through the use of a sewage line. (Photo/Dexter Henry)
"We station these melters on top of an approved DEP [Department of Environmental Protection] sewage line and the output goes to a water treatment center," Grayson explained.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The Department of Sanitation has seven large snow melters spaced out across the city to speed up the removal process.
"We're going to bring a mountain of snow to these locations and looking to get rid of it," Greyson said.
The melters can remove a substantial amount of snow in a short period of time with the ability to melt down 60 tons of snow per hour, making them a useful tool for densely populated cities.
The melters have been used in New York for over 20 years and are able to process snow at a rate of 240 gallons of water per minute. The machines are necessary in the city anytime a major snowstorm rolls into the area, Henry reported.
Mountains of snow in New York City are brought to snow melters placed throughout the city.
With another snowstorm on the way for the Northeast, Grayson said it is even more essential to remove the snow that is already piled up throughout the city.
The department is also asking residents to clear sidewalks and walkways that may still have snow on them.
"Not only is it a significant snowfall that's gonna definitely warrant a melter," Grayson said, "but we're also looking to deploy and start melting snow to free up room specifically when we think that there's a secondary event coming."
Related:
Reporting by Dexter Henry
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo