Queens digs itself out from harsh winter storm

Queens was blanketed with nearly a foot of snow in parts on Sunday.  Borough President Donovan Richards/X

By Ryan Schwach

The World’s Borough was battered by an intense snowstorm along with much of the country over the weekend, leaving locals to dig themselves out of the mounds of powder and slush on Monday.

Queens was hit with several inches of snow on Sunday, which will be chased by a week of frigid temperatures. The city is reporting at least two deaths in Queens connected to the harsh weather.

According to the National Weather Service, the borough was inundated with at least nine inches of snow on Sunday into Monday.

The Weather Service reported nine inches in Elmhurst as of Sunday evening, and 10 inches at the borough’s two airports. The snow totals were record numbers for the airports – it was the most snow John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports have received at this point in January since 2000.

Howard Beach and Whitestone both reported 11 inches in spots.

In the Rockaways, which often bears the brunt of winter storms due to its coastal climate, locals were digging out cars and trudging to work on Monday morning.

Eagle reporters spotted some brave surfers traversing the boardwalk to catch some frigid waves despite the weather.

At the other end of the borough in Astoria, most Astorians went about their day-to-day lives regardless of the snow.

Although getting around through the slushy terrain had its difficulties.

On Sunday, as the storm ripped through the city, blanketing streets and sidewalks with nearly a foot of snow, locals were told to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.

“Empty roads, empty sidewalks — exactly how it should be today, Queens,” Borough President Donovan Richards said on Sunday on X.

Richards said that Queens’ streets looked good on Monday, and applauded the mayor’s and the city’s response to the storm.

But as city workers cleared the streets, the bitter cold was deadly in Queens

At least two weather-related deaths occurred in the borough – one in Corona and one in Jamaica.

Gothamist reported that a 52-year-old man was found unresponsive in Junction Park in Corona, and he was pronounced dead 40 minutes later.

The Boardwalk in Rockaway Beach was covered in snow on Monday.  Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach

“This tragic loss could be avoided,” State Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas said on social meda.

The assemblymember’s office said that the local 115th Precinct suspected the death was related to the low temperature, although the man’s cause of death has yet to be determined.

Another man was found outside on Hilburn Avenue in Jamaica, and was later pronounced dead at the NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, according to the NYPD.

Citywide, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said there were seven reported deaths but that the exact circumstances were unclear.

Mamdani said that New York’s response Sunday and Monday matched the storm’s intensity.

“Nearly a foot of snow accumulated in parts of our city, and yet, today, our city is up and running thanks to the plans we put in place and the countless city workers who delivered on them,” Mamdani said on Monday. “The strength of our response is a testament to all of those who put in long shifts clearing snow from our parks, keeping our public transit running and responding to emergencies.”

The city said that Tuesday will be a return to in-person learning for schools, but that the suspension of alternate side parking will continue.

Cold weather will continue through the rest of the week, with the temperature staying below freezing through next Monday.

Queens warming centers are located at Jamaica Educational Campus at 167-01 Gothic Dr., and at Long Island City High School at 14-30 Broadway.