Brooklyn awoke Monday to a borough transformed — and paralyzed — by one of the decade’s most intense blizzards, with snowfall totals climbing as high as 18 inches in parts of Kings County. By storm’s end, neighborhoods like Bay Ridge and Sheepshead Bay recorded nearly two feet of snow.
According to the National Weather Service, heavy snow started late Sunday and persisted through Monday’s early morning hours, dumping snow at rates of “one to two inches per hour.”
The snowfall was combined with wind gusts between 40 and 60 miles per hour, “making travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening.” Flakes were expected to continue to fall through the afternoon of Feb. 23 — and that, they did.
A travel ban remained in effect until 12 p.m. on Feb. 23, with blizzard warnings in place until 6 p.m. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that, while the ban had been lifted as of noon, New Yorkers should “exercise caution, travel slowly, and be mindful of others on the road.”
As of 10 a.m. Monday, preliminary reports showed heavy accumulation across the borough, with Crown Heights at 18 inches, Williamsburg at 17.4, Sheepshead Bay at 17, Coney Island at 16, Bay Ridge at 13.8 and Northwest Flatbush at 11.7. When the storm finally cleared, the National Weather Service reported that Bay Ridge had recorded 23.5 inches and Sheepshead Bay 22.5 inches — the highest snowfall totals anywhere in Brooklyn.
Sanitation crews had worked around the clock, but side streets remained snow-covered and major thoroughfares were slick and partially blocked for most of the day. Some southern Brooklynites reported that certain streets, especially around Ocean Avenue, had not been treated.
Public transportation faced significant disruptions, with many express trains running locally and bus and subway lines operating with delays. Service on the C train in Manhattan and Brooklyn was fully suspended as of 11 a.m. on Feb. 23, according to the MTA, while the 5, B, M, J and N lines were reporting severe delays. All Brooklyn buses were running behind schedule.
By Tuesday, much was back on track — though Brooklynites were urged to still expect delays.
In a statement Monday morning, Mamdani offered his official forecast.
“Good morning, NYC,” he wrote. ”Snowfall: 8″-15” last night. Forecast: More snow until early afternoon. Winds: Gusts of 40-60mph. Travel: Roads are CLOSED until at least noon today. Essential & emergency trips only. Coastal Flood Warnings: Lifted at 5 a.m.”
In a separate post, he wrote that 2,600 sanitation workers were deployed in 12-hour shifts, 2,300 plows were sent across the city and 700 salt spreaders were mobilized citywide.
City schools reopened Tuesday, as local shops worked to return to business as usual.
Across some parts of Brooklyn, the storm also left behind scattered property damage. The awnings at Sandwich Girl in Park Slope and Soup N Burger in Sheepshead Bay were found collapsed under the weight of the snow, though no injuries were reported.
On Berkeley Place in Park Slope, where the neighborhood saw close to 20 inches of accumulation, a large tree came down between Sixth and Seventh avenues, crushing at least one parked car. A neighbor who witnessed the incident said the FDNY arrived quickly after multiple calls, cutting away branches to ensure residents on the south side of the block had a safe way out.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional reporting since it was first published as the snowstorm unfolded across Brooklyn on Monday morning.
