Blizzard hits Suffolk County, National Weather Service says; storm still not over

Long Islanders should plan for a lot of shoveling Sunday after a massive snowstorm brought the first blizzard in four years to Suffolk and left more than a foot of snow in many places.

The storm that lasted from Friday night to Saturday evening shut down airports, trains and buses, and at least one person died as a result, officials said.

Its harsh, sweeping winds — with gusts over 50 mph — were a nightmare for work crews plowing and de-icing roadways, as roads that were cleared quickly filled again with snow.

The storm hit the Island on a weekend, sparing those who would otherwise have to struggle back and forth to work. It also left roads open for snowplows. Moreover, the snow was more powdery than heavy, resulting in relatively few power outages, officials said.

While there were dozens of crashes, police said most of them were minor.

Consequently, many Islanders who hunkered down indoors emerged from the wintry blast with relatively few regrets, save for the shoveling ahead.

"I'm glad this is happening today and not on a Monday when I would have to drive to Garden City for work," said Jen Wallace, 32, walking her husky, Rock, along Grand Avenue in Long Beach.

Looking ahead, people should bundle up for Sunday as the high temperature is expected to be only 25 degrees. But warmer days are expected during the week, weather experts say.

"By Wednesday we’re going to see 40 degrees, by Thursday we could be close to 50," meteorologist Bill Korbel said.

The National Weather Service said it could "preliminarily confirm that blizzard criteria was met" for Suffolk. A blizzard is blowing, falling snow — or both — with winds of 35 mph or more, reducing visibility to a quarter-mile or less for at least three hours, according to the weather service. It was the first blizzard to hit the Island since January 2018.

More than a foot of snow had fallen on parts of Long Island: 22.4 inches in Islip, 18.5 in Deer Park, 18 in Orient, 16 in Plainedge and 13 in Massapequa.

The Island's heaviest snowstorm of the season so far left many places looking like a deserted scene frozen in place. Stores, restaurants, parks and entertainment facilities shut their doors.

Melissa Maly, 32 of Rocky Point, had nowhere to go but shoveled her driveway amid the blowing storm.

"I'm just getting started so I don’t have to do 2 feet later," she said.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the snowfall started winding down about 2:30 p.m. Saturday and that the county received 10 to 18 inches of it. He said he was concerned about icy roads and high winds.

"It is very treacherous out there," Blakeman said. "We’re doing a good job removing snow, but there’s ice underneath. I would say do not get on the roads before noon … [Sunday]. We’re going to need another 16 hours to get the roads in shape."

Roads were virtually empty except for drivers of snowplows, Blakeman said.

Brain Ciemnecki, of the weather service, said snowfall totals were 13 to 15 inches in Nassau and 15 to 22 inches in Suffolk, with the highest out east.

The massive storm brought with it some tragedy.

In Cutchogue, on Suffolk County's North Fork, an elderly man died Saturday after he fell into a swimming pool while shoveling snow, police said.

According to a report from the Southold Town Police Department, police received a 911 emergency call around 8:30 a.m. reporting that the man, whose identity was not released, had fallen into the pool.

Police officers and Cutchogue Fire Department rescue personnel who arrived at the scene pulled the man from the water and began administering CPR, the report stated. Fire rescue workers transported him to Stony Brook Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

In Nassau County, a woman was found dead in her car early Saturday morning by a Nassau snowplow operator in Uniondale. She may have suffered a medical emergency, according to Blakeman.

The woman, who was elderly, was found around 2:45 a.m. in the parking lot of the Marriott hotel in Uniondale, according to Officer Michael Usinger, a Nassau police spokesman. He said her car window was open.

Few outages for PSEG

The storm prompted Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday to declare a state of emergency for the Island, New York City and three other counties in the state.

On Saturday at 10:30 p.m., PSEG reported it was dealing with just seven active outages affecting seven customers. That’s far lower than for most big storms.

PSEG has 900 local contractors and employees on hand to restore power.

All state parks across Long Island were closed Saturday, said George Gorman, the regional director of Long Island state parks.

Crews worked around the clock to plow and shovel the parks, he said, and it was unclear when they will reopen. "We’re digging out, as everyone else is," Gorman said.

State park beaches saw higher-than-usual high tides Saturday morning, with minor flooding, but it has receded, Gorman said.

Other Island communities also reported no flooding issues. "We’ve not had any reports of flooding in the city thus far," Long Beach spokesman John McNally said.

"We’re 100% fine," Asharoken Village Mayor Greg Letica said. "We have no water issues. High tide came in at 8:30 and was marginally higher than the previous one."

Blakeman said the Nassau County’s Office of Emergency Management had not seen any major coastal flooding.

Suffolk worse than expected

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the storm was worse than originally predicted. He said the governor and state sent extra plows and resources to Long Island with the emergency declaration.

"This is a significant blizzard, and there is a lot of work left to do," Bellone said.

Any Suffolk County residents facing heating emergencies or transportation needs can call 311, he said.

In Southold, highway crews had to work in whiteout conditions across town roads, according to Dan Goodwin, the town's highway superintendent.

"The snowfall rates have been pretty hard on us, as well as the wind," Goodwin said. "We definitely had at minimum 2- to 3-inch-an-hour rates out there, and the wind has just been blinding at times with the blowing snow, so it's been a challenge to keep on top of it."

In Southampton, Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the town had been getting reports of major snowdrifts near farmland areas.

Some cars and trucks had been seen stuck on the roads, according to Schneiderman.

A Suffolk County police officer rescued a baby accidentally left inside a locked pickup truck as the brutal conditions persisted outside, Suffolk County police said.

Responding to a 911 call that came in just before 1:25 p.m., Officer James Garside sprang into action in a parking lot in Huntington Station. Garside used a lockout kit to crack the door open before slipping a tool inside to press the power lock button. The baby was bundled up and inside a car seat in the back passenger seat of the Dodge Ram.

"The little baby was pretty comfortable and kind of wondering what all the excitement was about. She was very calm," said Garside, a paramedic who had just returned from another aided call.

Several town facilities were shuttered. Brookhaven Town's recreation centers and aquatic center were closed Saturday, with plans to reopen Sunday. The Huntington Town cat shelter closed Saturday, also with plans to reopen Sunday.

Warming centers open

The following warming centers are open across the Island:

• Mitchel Field Administration Building: 1 Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Uniondale
• Cantiague Park Administration Office: 480 W. John St., Hicksville
• Wantagh Administration Building: 1 King Rd., Wantagh
• Southold Human Resource Center: 750 Pacific St., Mattituck
• Village Green Center: 423 Park Ave., Huntington