New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Thursday that the city had experienced the snowiest January in history after a thick blanket of snow covered the city.

People walk in the snow-covered Central Park in New York, the United States, Jan. 27, 2011. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Thursday that the city had experienced the snowiest January in history after a thick blanket of snow covered the city. [Xinhua]

During a press conference to update the city's snow removal efforts, Bloomberg told the public that after 19 inches of snow fell on the city overnight, New York had endured 36 inches of snow since Jan. 1, breaking the old January record of 27.4 inches in 1925.

All New York City public schools were closed on Thursday, the ninth time since 1978 that the city had closed its schools due to snow. All non-emergency city government offices were also closed.

Hundreds of flights were grounded and New York public transit experienced delays. Parking meters and alternate side parking rules were also suspended due to the snow conditions.

More than 2,000 plows deployed by the government have cleared all primary streets and are now working on secondary and tertiary streets.

Since Dec. 14, snow has fallen eight times on the New York region, including the blizzard that dropped 20 inches on New York City and paralyzed travel after Christmas.

It is forecast that snow shower will fall on the New York Region on Friday and Saturday.