Central New York Preps for Late Winter Storm

If you thought "Old Man Winter" was on his way out, not so fast! Despite spring only being two days away, another round of snow and ice is heading our way. This has DPW crews working hard again and many people wondering when the warm weather will return.

Bill Sowers says, "I have to go to Buffalo for business on Wednesday, I may be cancelling that. I do a lot of fishing and golfing, that's why I stayed up in Central New York. It's just postponing it more and more, it's crazy."

Gertrude Hovey says, "I like the snow for the young people with their snowmobiling and skiing, but yes I am looking for spring."

While some can't wait for warmer weather to arrive, the Utica Department of Public Works is hard at work, prepping for what many hope is the last winter storm of the season. The storm is expected to bring snow and ice, which requires a special strategy.

Mike Nelson of the Utica DPW says, "Usually if they are predicting the sleet and freezing rain, we'll go out and lay the salt down on all the mains and main thoroughfares usually before the sleet and freezing rain comes, just to give it that little bit of extra protection so it doesn't stick as much."

In an effort to get roads plowed as quickly as possible, the City of Utica has declared a snow emergency. That means all vehicles must be off city streets tonight, something Nelson hopes residents listen to.

"That way our guys can move around, maneuver around and not have to deal with all the parked cars and stuff like that in the lower parts of the city, it makes it awful difficult to navigate around them."

So, instead of staying warm and cozy in the office, Nelson says DPW workers all over Central New York will be out in force.

"A lot of the guys were a little frustrated, but you got to do what you got to do. You never know, last year at this time it was 80 degrees."