In the wake of a blizzard that fell far short of predictions, New Yorkers are questioning whether meteorologists and government officials were justified in their reactions. Other regions of the Northeast were slammed much harder by Winter Storm Juno, with snow piling up higher than 20 inches in places such as Islip, New York. Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered a shutdown of the city’s subway system, and Mayor Bill de Blasio banned all road travel — including food deliveries, much to the chagrin of NYU students. While many now deem the government’s safety measures an overreaction, historical examples justify their actions.

Jan. 26 marked an unprecedented event in New York’s blizzard preparedness — the closing of the city’s subway system. Residents criticized the move on social media, as much of the city remained relatively unscathed. Director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at NYU Mitchell Moss characterized the city’s response as overly cautious. “They were able to conjure a snowstorm that didn’t occur,” Moss joked in The New York Times. “We won a battle without an enemy.” 

However, de Blasio acted in cognizance of the horrific ramifications of Mayor John V. Lindsay’s lack of preventative measures, which resulted in the deaths of 42 people in 1969. Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also been disparaged for his handling — or not handling — of a 2010 snowstorm that covered the city in over a foot of snow. With all this in mind, de Blasio’s caution was understandable; just last year he was vilified for leaving the city’s public schools open in the face of a storm that promised up to 14 inches of snow.

Meteorology has never been an exact science, especially for an area as small as New York City. When making forecasts, the National Weather Service  is flooded with thousands of minute data points, which they monitor under intense time constraints. Every bit of information generates multiple weather models. The forecasters often choose from multiple conflicting computer-generated predictions, which account for constantly changing readings. Technology has made forecasting much more accurate on the whole, but charting storms continues to be difficult.

Politicians receive plenty of legitimate criticism, but they should not be condemned for following forecasts and trying to keep their constituents safe. It costs a lot to shut down a city, but the closure is not expected to permanently damage the city’s economy. The cost of being unprepared would surely be higher.

As Hurricane Sandy showed, New York City’s current infrastructure does not stand up well to extreme weather. The city was lucky with Juno, but this somewhat incorrect forecast does not mean that the next storm warning should be met with fewer precautions.

A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, Jan. 29 print edition. Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.