Please use extreme caution when exiting your homes on Sunday morning, as there is a black ice and icing conditions across the tri-state area. Hatzolah in NYC, Kiryas Joel, Lakewood, and Rockland County are flooded with calls for people falling and reports of car accidents. The FDNY and NYPD have responded to hundreds of car accidents since early this morning. Sources tell YWN that the FDNY EMS system has a two hour backlog.

Another crash involves at least 20 vehicles on the Cross Bronx Expressway near White Plains Road, CBS2 reported.

Due to icing conditions, the eastbound Long Island Expressway is closed at the Queens Midtown Tunnel, QN. Consider alternate routes and allow for additional travel time.

Hatzolah of Rockland County issued an alert urging everyone to remain at home and avoid travel until all roads are salted. As of 9:00AM, most roads were still not salted – keeping roads under a sheet of ice.

Up to 15 cars were involved in one crash on the southbound lanes of Palisades Interstate Parkway near the approach to the George WashingtonBridge, CBS2 reported. All lanes are closed southbound at Interchange 1.

There was a 15-car accident in Staten Island at Clove Road and Richmond Road according to an FDNY spokesman.

As of 8:14 a.m., an accident had blocked all lanes of the New Jersey Turnpike southbound western spur near Exit 16W, according to 511nj. The Teaneck Police Department said several accidents had been reported around town.

In Lakewood, roads and sidewalks are covered in ice as well. There have been several pedestrians injured from slipping and falling.

Hackensack, Ridgefield and Fort Lee also warned residents not to drive. Drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike were restricted to speeds no more than 35 mph.

Speed restrictions have been set for the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway.

The speed limit is 35 miles per hour for motorists driving from the Delaware Memorial Bridge to the George Washington Bridge on the New Jersey Turnpike, according to 511nj.org. A speed restriction of 35 miles per hour is also in place on the Garden State Parkway between exit 116 in Holmdel Township and exit 160 in Rochelle Park Township.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey closed several bridges this morning, including the Bayonne Bridge, the Goethals Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing.

Nassau County Police tells YWN that while all roads are passable, icy roads and sidewalks conditions are causing minor accidents. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to reduce speed and be very careful walking.

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE THE NYS THRUWAY IS CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS FROM EXIT 17/NEWBURGH TO NYC LINE INCLUDING I-95/NEW ENGLAND THRUWAY & I-287/CROSS WESTCHESTER EXPRESSWAY DUE TO SEVERE ICY CONDITIONS. (NYSTA)

Weather officials issued freezing rain advisories for Orange, Putnam, Rockland, north Westchester, north Fairfield, Passaic, Bergen, western Essex, Union, Morris, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex and west Monmouth counties, as well as areas of New York City.

Icy rain made roads treacherous and closed some bridges and highways Sunday morning.

The ice was especially bad in the areas north and west of New York City, but even in the metro area pedestrians reported slick and scary conditions and officials expanded freezing rain advisories to include Manhattan, the Bronx, northern Queens and Staten Island.

Officials are urging people to avoid any unnecessary travel until conditions have improved.

The dangerous conditions were expected to improve by around noon. Later in the day, temperatures were expected to rise into the 40s, and up to 2 inches of rain was expected to soak the region.

UPDATE 11:25AM EST: The Thruway has reopened from Exit 15 down to the NYC line.  The Thruway remains closed from Exit 15 to Exit 17 southbound.

UPDATE 11:39AM EST: NJ State Police says there have been 366 reported accidents & 145 aids in NJSP patrolled areas. Many closures statewide. Roads are still hazardous.

(Chaim Shapiro – YWN)