The worst of the winter storm has moved through the Catskills and northeast Pennsylvania. Ulster County, which issued countywide travel restrictions from Sunday morning to Monday afternoon, was hit with nearly two feet of snow in some parts of the county.
Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said the travel restrictions were put in place due to the terrible road conditions and to allow snowplows and essential service vehicles to pass through more easily.
“It was the biggest storm we’ve had in many, many years,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “Roads were impassable.”
Metzger says that emergency call volume for road incidents was relatively low. “I was gratified to hear that people stayed home.”
While Ulster County lifted its travel restrictions on county roads on Monday at noon, Metzger still encourages residents to stay off the slick roads if possible. “[DPW] has plowed, salted, but we need that sun to get down to the ground,” she says.
For those indoors during the storm, Metzger said homeowners should check that their furnaces or boiler vents are not covered with snow, which could lead to carbon monoxide buildup.
Following the storm, the county has shifted its focus from accumulating snowfall to the anticipated freezing temperatures ahead.
READ: Find a nearby warming center in the Catskills and Northeast Pennsylvania
Ulster County offices will open under normal business hours on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Image: Snow piles up during Winter Storm Fern in January 2026 (Photo Credit: Kimberly Izar)