"Snow storm plus" hits New York, state of emergency declared

NEW YORK, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared state of emergency for the entire downstate region on Thursday as a snow storm continued to pound the U.S. East Coast.

The massive winter storm has swept most part of the state, dumping snow and bringing strong winds to the area.

Cuomo called the storm "snow storm plus" because it is snow plus wind which is going to cause the trouble on Thursday.

He said the gusts are expected to pick up speed later in the day, especially on Long Island, where the winds will reach 60 miles per hour.

In terms of snowfall, the latest predictions showed that people will see six to 10 inches of snow in New York city, nine to 12 inches of snow on Long Island, and four to eight in Westchester.

Cuomo said the strong winds make it almost impossible to clear the roads and residents should be well prepared when travelling during late afternoon rush hour.

The afternoon rush hour will be much more problematic than the morning rush hour as snow storm will be more severe by then, he added.

Due to strong winds and whiteout conditions, flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport have been temporarily suspended. Travelers are urged to contact their airline carriers for updates on resumption of service.

All New York city public schools are closed on Thursday because of the weather condition. Enditem