Pinoys in New York advised to postpone travel amid snowstorm By DAVE LLAVANES JR.

NEW YORK - The Philippine Consulate General in New York advised Filipinos there to postpone traveling as a record-breaking cross-country snowstorm is affecting many areas. This was according to Assistance to Nationals (ATN) head Vice Consul Paolo Marco Mapula. The advisory was issued after New York state authorities imposed a travel ban due to zero visibility caused by cold winds and heavy snow. A significant part of America is currently affected by a cross-country winter storm, bringing snow and extreme cold. The Consulate is monitoring the impact of the cross-country snowstorm on Filipinos in the US Northeast. No Filipinos were affected so far. Intense cold and heavy snow measuring up to seven inches have hit some areas in the Tri-State, and other states are experiencing sub-zero temperatures. New York Governor Kathy Hochul mentioned in a press briefing that the forecast underestimated the amount of snow, leading to double efforts by the New York State Department of Transportation to clear roads filled with ice. “We all know, as western New Yorkers, that the dangerous triple threat is the triple threat of icy cold temperatures with high winds and blowing snow, which can be life-threatening weather. That's exactly what's going on right now. The forecast of this storm really underestimated the porosity of the storm. Firstly, the volume of the snow was predicted to be 1 to 3 inches per hour, which is a lot of snow over a 36- to 48-hour period. However, what we are seeing since this morning is that the snow bands are staying longer, they're broader, and we are now experiencing a real-time 4 to 5, possibly 6 inches per hour," the governor said. —KG, GMA Integrated News

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