Politics & Government

UPDATE: Snow Swamps Brooklyn, Q/B Trains Running Again, Buses Canceled, Schools Closed

Prospect Heights buried in more than a foot of snow.

UPDATE: 9:16 a.m.: Q and B trains are running fairly smoothly right now, according to a station operator. We saw two B trains go by, one in each direction at the station a few minutes ago.

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After Brooklyn was covered with more than a foot of snow, NYC public schools are closed, most MTA buses canceled and nearly all non-emergency government offices closed, according to City Hall via Notify NYC.

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

At 8:07 a.m. the Q train was basically not running,  Joe Bruno, the city's Office of Emergency Management Commissioner said on Channel 5 today. Most other subways are running and some Queens buses have been restored, according to the MTA site.

Unlike in the suburbs, closing NYC Public schools in the snow is uncommon, under the belief that it creates a childcare burden for those parents who still have to go to work. NYC Public schools have only been closed six times since 1978, according to NY1.

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Schools chancellor Cathie Black made the rare decision early this morning to call a snow day for the city's 1.1 million schoolchildren.

As of 5:30 a.m., more than a foot of snow has fallen as a result of a powerful winter storm just exiting the region.

Little Neck Patch Editor Paul Leonard contributed to this story.

We will be updating this story all day.

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