New York City – Three weeks into his tenure, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has already sparred with tough questions about public safety, antisemitism, a looming budget gap, and even renovations at Gracie Mansion. But this weekend, the city’s newest mayor confronts a challenge no press conference can deflect: a major snowstorm.
Meteorologists are warning that up to a foot of snow could blanket New York City by Sunday, instantly turning winter weather into Mamdani’s first real test of executive competence. The forecast has triggered nonstop questions from reporters: Will the city be ready? Will schools close? underscoring a political truth as old as City Hall itself: in New York, snowstorms can make or break mayors.
Why snow matters politically
“There’s no such thing as winning a snowstorm,” said Eric Phillips, who served as press secretary under former Mayor Bill de Blasio. “If everything goes smoothly, people forget it ever happened. If it doesn’t, the mayor owns it.”
De Blasio knows that reality well. Early in his administration, slow snow removal in parts of Manhattan sparked outrage and conspiracy theories, particularly in the Upper East Side. He later acknowledged mistakes, saying more could have been done.
“It’s about being visible, being responsive, and communicating constantly,” de Blasio said in a recent interview, adding that when errors occur, leaders must “own them.”
Lessons from mayors past
Snowstorms have haunted New York City leaders for decades. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg faced harsh criticism after a blizzard paralyzed residential streets, compounded by reports that his private jet had been seen landing in Bermuda just before the storm. His administration later clarified that Bloomberg returned before snowfall began, but the damage to public perception lingered.
The most infamous cautionary tale belongs to John Lindsay. A devastating 1969 snowstorm left parts of Queens buried for weeks and was blamed for dozens of deaths, nearly derailing Lindsay’s political career.
“Queens was essentially cut off,” recalled George Arzt, who later worked for Mayor Ed Koch. “That storm became a defining issue in Lindsay’s reelection fight.”
More recently, former Mayor Eric Adams earned rare praise from the New York Post for his hands-on response to his first major snowstorm, touring all five boroughs and even shoveling the sidewalk outside his Brooklyn home.
Mamdani’s approach
Mamdani, aware of the stakes, struck a cautious and deliberate tone this week.
“It’s entirely possible we see just a few inches, and just as possible we get more than a foot,” he said Thursday at a Brooklyn event. “We can’t control the snowfall, but we can control how we prepare and how we respond.”
City officials say preparations will begin Friday, with roadways, major corridors, and bike lanes treated in advance. About 2,000 sanitation workers are scheduled to shift to 12-hour rotations starting Saturday morning, roughly the same deployment used ahead of de Blasio’s first snowstorm.
Still unresolved is the question parents are asking most: whether Monday will bring a true snow day. Since the rise of remote learning during the pandemic, full school closures have become rare. Mamdani has said only that he wants to make a decision that minimizes disruption to families’ daily lives.
A shared focus
As debates over crime, housing costs, and homelessness continue to dominate city politics, the impending storm has briefly eclipsed nearly everything else.
“A snowstorm is one of the few moments when the mayor’s priorities and the public’s priorities completely align,” said Stu Loeser, who worked for Bloomberg. “People just want to know what’s coming and whether the city is ready.”
By Sunday, New Yorkers may forget the press conferences and policy fights of Mamdani’s early days. But they will remember whether the streets were plowed, the trains ran, and the city kept moving, or didn’t.
By The Midtown Times Staff
Published Jan. 23, 2026
