Snow, ice, freezing rain making 'messy' Tuesday; new concerns about evening commute

Long Islanders are dealing with their first significant snowfall of the season Tuesday, as commuters navigated slippery roads, sidewalks and train platforms.

They may face new challenges Tuesday night, forecasters warned.

Just after 10 a.m., Tuesday, no major roadway issues or transit delays had been reported. 

While total accumulations will be modest — up to 4 inches in Nassau and western Suffolk and 1 to 3 inches farther east — lingering precipitation could create slippery roads for the rest of the morning commute and could impact the evening commute as well, according the National Weather Service in Upton.

A winter weather advisory is in effect through Tuesday afternoon. 

All morning, Long Island's major roads were open, with traffic moving normally on the Long Island Expressway, Northern and Southern State parkways and other major Long Island thoroughfares.

Police reported no major incidents on Long Island roads overnight. Suffolk police said there were a handful of minor crashes overnight, about “on par” for an average evening.

Police reported just before 8 a.m. that a crash that closed all southbound lanes on Merrick Avenue in North Merrick for about 45 minutes had been cleared. No further information was available.

Police were monitoring the snowfall and road conditions across the region. Long Beach police said their snow accumulation was “pretty light” as of 6:30 a.m., as crews continued to plow the streets. They advised motorists to travel with “due care and caution.”

On the North Shore, Lake Success Village police said snow had turned into rain at about 5 a.m., and reported an inch and a half of slush on streets. While crews have been out “all night,” roads are still slippery and residents should take caution, police said. Oyster Bay Cove police reported a “light coverage of snow” on its side streets, with plows continuing to work and main streets mostly clear.

Forecasters reported Tuesday that Nassau's top snowfall totals were 2 inches in Farmingdale and Manhasset Hills, 1.8 in Oyster Bay and 1.7 in Albertson.

In Suffolk, the top totals were 3 inches in Mount Sinai, 2½ in North Babylon and Center Moriches, 2.3 in East Hampton and 2.2 in Centerport.

The Long Island Rail Road reported normal service on all branches through the morning. An earlier switch problem at Southampton station on the Montauk Branch was resolved by the morning commute. No major issues were reported on the East River bridges and tunnels just before dawn.

The Bridgeport/Port Jefferson Ferry and Cross Sound Ferry are running on regular schedules, according to their websites.

Conditions late Tuesday into Wednesday morning could pose an even greater threat to drivers, the weather service said.

After a slightly warmer afternoon with a high in the 30s, the wintry mix of snow, ice and rain on the roads could refreeze as temperatures plummet into the teens Tuesday evening, potentially leading to black ice conditions.

Officials said they were ready for what was to come.

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said highway crews would be treating the town's nearly 750 miles of roadway with a mix of sand and salt overnight, starting around 2 a.m. and wrapping up before 6 a.m. Tuesday.

“We will keep watching the storm and keep adjusting our plan depending on the needs,” Saladino said.

Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin said crews on Monday began sanding and salting roads, starting with major intersections, schools and areas vital to first responders in expectation for a morning commute that he said could “be messy.”

North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said the town is “keeping an eye on how the storm progresses,” but noted that crews are ready to respond to the conditions. 

More snow is on the way later in the week, forecasters said. A “prolonged light snow” is predicted Thursday night into Friday evening, with the potential for another 3 inches of snow, the weather service said.

Temperatures will likely remain below freezing — 10 to 15 degrees below normal — across the region through Sunday evening, with wind chills in the single digits for much of the rest of the week.

And while a coastal flood statement is in effect through Tuesday afternoon — up to half a foot of inundation above ground level is expected in vulnerable areas near the waterfront and shoreline — major flooding is not expected with this storm.

Two powerful storms last week caused major flooding on Long Island's South Shore and major erosion issues in vulnerable coastal communities, including Fire Island.

The forecast is no better across the country as about 150 million Americans — or 45% of the nation's population — were under a wind chill warning or advisory this week for dangerous cold and wind, the weather service said.