See It: Coast Guard cutter frees NYPD vessel from icebound Hudson River
A displaced polar vortex parked over the eastern U.S. has helped usher in days of subfreezing temperatures and caused many parts of the Hudson River and New York Harbor — one of the busiest in the country — to freeze over.
WATCH: Coast Guard cutter frees NYPD vessel from icebound Hudson River
U.S. Coast Guard cutters are busy trying to keep New York's iced-over waterways moving, including freeing an NYPD Harbor Unit vessel that was beset by ice floes Tuesday.
NEW YORK – U.S. Coast Guard cutters are busy trying to keep New York's iced-over waterways moving, including freeing an NYPD Harbor Unit vessel that was beset by ice floes Tuesday.
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A displaced polar vortex parked over the eastern U.S. has helped usher in days of subfreezing temperatures and caused many parts of the Hudson River and New York Harbor — one of the busiest in the country — to freeze over.
The Coast Guard Cutter Hawser broke the ice around a NYPD harbor vessel Tuesday, just off Pier 86 on the west side of Midtown Manhattan, the Coast Guard's Northeast District wrote on a social media post.
Ice could be heard crunching against the reinforced hull of the 65-foot-long Cutter Hawser. Thanks to the USCG Cutter Hawser's small size, it is one of very few Coast Guard cutters capable of traveling through inland waterways from New York Harbor north to Lake Champlain near the Canadian border.
U.S. Coast Guard engaged in icebreaking operation across frozen New York Harbor
U.S. Coast Guard cutters are busy trying to keep New York's iced-over waterways moving, including freeing an NYPD Harbor Unit vessel that was beset by ice floes Tuesday. U.S. Coast Guard Captain Johnathan Andrechik, Captain of the Port for New York and New Jersey, joined FOX Weather Command.
The Coast Guard received a request from the NYPD to break the ice around the police department's Hudson River facilities that were iced in, U.S. Coast Guard Captain Johnathan Andrechik told FOX Weather Meteorologists Marissa Torrres and Stephen Morgan on Weather Command Wednesday.
Captain Andrechik said the Coast Guard was prepared for increased icing as temperatures are expected to stay at or below freezing for the next few weeks.
"It's certainly more ice than we saw last year, and it is a dynamic situation," Captain Andrechik said.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -JANUARY 27: The Statue of Liberty stands in the distance as ice floats coveri part of the Hudson River along the Manhattan shoreline as New York City experiences frigid temperatures following a winter storm over the weekend on January 27, 2026, in New York City. ((Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) / Getty Images)
For the first time in several years, New York City suspended all ferry service Wednesday due to the widespread icy conditions. New York Waterway, a popular private ferry operator with service to New Jersey, also suspended several routes as well.
"Our experienced teams are working to safely navigate these challenging cold weather conditions. Modified service continues to be in effect today - we are not suspending service," NY Waterway said in a statement.
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New York Harbor is an estuary, a mix of freshwater from the Hudson River and saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean.
While saltwater freezes at approximately 28 degrees, significantly colder than freshwater, the arctic blast that ushered in this weekend's winter storm and subsequent polar plunge have created significant ice floes throughout the waterway.
New York City high temperatures were 1.2 degrees below average for January, with more cold weather expected to end the month. (FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
Andrechik mentioned that ice has been reported as far north on the Hudson as Albany, some 150 miles north.
Captain Andrechik underscored how important icebreaking is for public safety, but also the key role it plays in keeping the Northeast's energy supply lines moving and the regional economic hub open for business.
Coast Guard Cutter Hawser (left) and Coast Guard Cutter Wire (right) transit northbound on the ice-covered Hudson River near Saugerties, New York, Jan. 5, 2018. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Steve Strohmaier / FOX Weather)
"It is a unique mission for the Coast Guard, something that very few of our Coast Guard personnel around the country get to do. But I can tell you, our crew, they're well-trained they look forward to each mission because they understand the importance that it has," Captain Andrechik said.