00:00While autumn leaves are falling, New York City is getting ready for winter.
00:04It's coming off a harsh season that left the boroughs digging out.
00:08Central Park recorded 43.4 inches of snow through the end of February,
00:13nearly double the average of 24.4 inches by that point in the season.
00:18And from December through February, temperatures averaged just below freezing at 31.9 degrees,
00:25more than four degrees below normal, according to the National Weather Service.
00:28And we endured nine days in a row without temperatures climbing above freezing.
00:33There were days when parts of our city were colder than Antarctica.
00:37Now the city is investing $25 million to expand its code blue weather response.
00:42That means more outreach teams, mobile medical units, shelter beds, and warming buses,
00:48with resources increasing as conditions become more severe or last longer.
00:53We've streamlined operations, developed new life-saving initiatives,
00:57and strengthened protocols for the cold and snow.
01:00The city is also stepping up snow removal at sidewalks, crosswalks, and bus stops,
01:05adding 120 snowblowers.
01:07More than 2,200 vehicles are ready to be turned into snowplows,
01:11and emergency snow shovelers can now earn $30 an hour.
01:16Agencies are also preparing for heating failures, power outages, and fallen trees.
01:21After last winter's bitter cold, we're expecting a warmer, wetter winter,
01:25with temperatures averaging 1 to 2 degrees above normal, largely due to El Nino.
01:31AccuWeather meteorologists say when temperatures hover near freezing during precipitation,
01:35especially in mid to late winter, that can bring a mix of rain, sleet, and some ice.
01:40A reminder that even a milder winter calls for preparation.
01:44For AccuWeather, I'm Heather Fordham.
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