Brooklyn and the rest of New York City face their biggest winter storm in years this weekend, with the National Weather Service warning of up to a foot of snow and freezing temperatures starting Sunday.

The storm system moving up the Eastern seaboard is expected to dump between 8 and 12 inches of snow across the five boroughs from Sunday evening through Monday night, with the heaviest accumulation forecast for Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.

“This is shaping up to be a significant weather event for the entire metropolitan area,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Sarah Chen. “We’re advising residents to prepare for hazardous travel conditions and possible power outages.”

The Department of Sanitation has mobilized its full fleet of 1,500 salt spreaders and plows, with crews working 12-hour shifts starting Sunday morning. Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department learned hard lessons from past storms that caught the city unprepared.

“We’re not taking any chances,” Tisch said at a Friday briefing. “Every piece of equipment is fueled and ready, and we’ve pre-positioned salt at strategic locations across Brooklyn and the other outer boroughs.”

The storm comes as the city deals with ongoing infrastructure challenges, including MTA service disruptions that have already complicated winter travel planning for millions of commuters.

Mayor Eric Adams declared a hazardous travel advisory starting Sunday at 6 p.m., urging New Yorkers to avoid unnecessary travel. The advisory covers all five boroughs and remains in effect until conditions improve Monday evening.

“Brooklyn residents know how to handle snow, but this storm requires extra preparation,” Adams said. “Check on your neighbors, especially seniors, and make sure you have supplies for at least 72 hours.”

The forecast has Brooklyn community boards and neighborhood groups scrambling to coordinate snow removal efforts and wellness checks. In Bed-Stuy, where narrow streets often become impassable during heavy snow, Community Board 3 chair Marcus Williams said volunteers are organizing to help clear sidewalks and check on elderly residents.

“We’ve seen what happens when the city plows hit the main avenues but leave side streets buried,” Williams said. “Our neighbors have to look out for each other.”

Public schools will remain closed Monday and Tuesday, Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos announced Friday. The decision affects 1.1 million students citywide, with remote learning plans activated for Tuesday if buildings remain unsafe.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority warned of significant service disruptions starting Sunday evening. Above-ground subway lines, including the elevated portions in Brooklyn and Queens, face possible shutdowns if wind gusts exceed 39 mph.

MTA Chief Operating Officer Tim Minton said crews are pre-positioning equipment at critical locations, but warned commuters to expect major delays even after the storm passes.

“Snow removal on outdoor platforms and tracks takes time,” Minton said. “We’re asking for patience as we work to restore full service safely.”

The storm’s timing creates additional challenges for city agencies already stretched thin by ongoing emergency responses across the five boroughs. Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said the city’s emergency operations center will remain fully staffed through Wednesday.

Temperatures are forecast to plummet into the single digits Monday night, creating dangerous conditions for the city’s homeless population. The Department of Social Services activated Code Blue protocols, opening additional shelter beds and deploying outreach teams to bring people indoors.

“No one should be sleeping outside in these conditions,” said DSS Commissioner Molly Wasow Park. “Our teams are working around the clock to connect people with safe, warm shelter.”

Brooklyn’s network of mutual aid groups mobilized quickly to support neighbors without heat or adequate winter clothing. Groups in Crown Heights, Bushwick and Sunset Park organized supply drives and warming centers in community spaces.

The storm also threatens the city’s ongoing recovery from recent infrastructure stress, including building emergencies that have displaced residents across the boroughs.

Retail and restaurant businesses, already struggling with winter foot traffic, face potential losses from the extended closure period. Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President Randy Peers urged small business owners to secure their properties and prepare for possible power outages.

“This storm hits at a tough time for our local businesses,” Peers said. “We’re encouraging everyone to support their neighborhood spots once it’s safe to get out again.”

Con Edison crews are staged across the city’s electrical grid, with extra personnel assigned to Brooklyn and Queens where overhead power lines face the greatest risk from heavy, wet snow and ice accumulation.

The utility company’s Vincent Doyle said customers should prepare for possible outages lasting several days in the hardest-hit areas.

“We have mutual aid agreements with utilities from across the region,” Doyle said. “But the scope of this storm means restoration could take time.”

City health officials reminded residents that winter weather often coincides with seasonal illness outbreaks, urging people to maintain social distancing even in emergency shelters and warming centers.

The National Weather Service updated its forecast Friday evening, extending the winter storm warning through Tuesday morning and adding coastal flood warnings for southern Brooklyn and Staten Island.

As Brooklyn residents stocked up on groceries and supplies Friday, many longtime locals expressed confidence in the borough’s ability to weather the storm.

“We’ve been through worse,” said Fort Greene resident Dorothy Martinez, loading rock salt into her car outside a Flatbush Avenue hardware store. “Brooklyn takes care of its own.”