Stony Brook U. among snow closings

A winter storm warning goes into effect within the hour - and Long Islanders are bracing for the worst. Just weeks after a monstrous blizzard blasted Long Island with as much as 20 inches of snow in some areas, the National Weather Service says areas of Nassau and Suffolk can expect as much at 18 inches of snow between now and Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Forecasters also said, "locally higher amounts" are possible.

Newly elected Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has already directed the state's emergency management plan to be activated, mobilizing road crews, LIPA crews and other emergency responders and personnel. And Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said Tuesday that the county would open its emergency operations center in Yaphank at midnight - all as officials urged residents to stay home, if possible, during the storm.

"It's important to be sensible and not go out unless absolutely necessary," Levy said.

"I'd ask people to use common sense and to stay off the roads and put their cars in the driveways so the snow plows can do their thing."

In anticipation of the storm, Stony Brook University officials canceled all classes scheduled for Wednesday, as well as those at its Southampton and Manhattan campuses.

This includes the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Health Technology & Management, School of Social Welfare, and the Dental School. A message on the university website urged students with "clinical obligations . . . to make every effort to attend rotations and contact their clinical coordinators with any questions or concerns."

The University Medical Center and the Long Island State Veterans Home will remain open, but there will be no university transit service after 9 p.m. Tuesday and continuing into Wednesday.

The storm looming over the area is actually a combination of two storms, according to the National Weather Service. One, coming up the eastern seaboard, pounded the South over the weekend. The other, coming east, battered the Midwest.

As a result, the weather service issued the warning - in effect from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday. Snow totals, however, have been continually readjusted upward since the weekend and now forecasters predict as much as 18 inches.

Earlier Tuesday the forecast had called for the Island to get 10 to 15 inches, an increase of about 3 to 4 inches from Monday afternoon's prediction.

"And if the snow bands set up longer over central and eastern Long Island, it could be higher," meteorologist Lauren Nash said before the forecast was updated at 2:45 p.m.

The heaviest snow is expected to fall after midnight into the early Wednesday.

Nash said the highest amounts would extend from central Nassau to mid-Suffolk, with the heaviest accumulations expected in Brookhaven Town. The eastern portions of the twin forks of the East End will see lower accumulations - and possibly a mix of rain, wet snow or sleet.

Temperatures on Wednesday should top out in the lower 30s and continue in that range through Saturday.

The storm will begin as a nor'easter Tuesday night with winds from the northeast.

But the winds will shift to the north and northwest with sustained speeds of 15 to 20 mph and gusts of 25 to 35 mph. As a result, the weather service anticipates only moderate erosion of north-facing beaches.

Northwest winds are considered the most favorable for limiting erosion for several reasons. The waves do not have long distances of open water to build up as they do with nor'easters. Northwest winds minimize the exposure of erosion-prone areas, such as Asharoken and Bayville, that are more vulnerable to northeastern winds. And northwestern winds do not push more water into Long Island Sound and hold it there with each successive high tide as a nor'easter would.

The blizzard on Dec. 26 and 27 dumped double-digit amounts of snow in several areas and caused severe erosion in Montauk, Orient Point and Fire Island. Suffolk officials are compiling damage estimates that will be presented to federal officials this week to seek a disaster declaration that might provide reimbursement for beach replenishment and other repairs.

Agencies and local governments across the Island, including the Long Island Rail Road and the Long Island Power Authority, have been readying for the latest storm, the second in a little more than two weeks.

Six hundred LIRR workers will fight the overnight storm as part of an MTA agencywide "all-hands-on-deck" effort, with officials resolute there will be no repeat of riders' frustration during the post-Christmas-weekend blizzard. Crucial switches at the Jamaica and Hicksville stations will get special attention, with an increase of 50 staffers on hand to prevent freezing or incapacitation of switches at Jamaica. If the storm forces service suspensions, LIRR officials said, the railroad will do everything possible to keep the busy Babylon, Huntington, Port Washington and Ronkonkoma branches running.

Suffolk Sheriff Vincent DeMarco advised all drivers except those with essential business to stay off the roads Wednesday. With "very treacherous driving conditions," he said, "inevitably there will be serious accidents because some people failed to heed these warnings. Don't let that unfortunate person be you. Stay inside and stay safe."

Deputy sheriffs will patrol the Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway throughout the storm, the sheriff said. People who become stranded should stay with their vehicles and wait for help, DeMarco said.

Hospitals were putting emergency plans in place.

At Stony Brook University Medical Center, staff have been asked to adjust their shifts, with some coming in earlier and others staying later during the storm, said Leo DeBobes, assistant administrator for emergency management.

"We know our patients don't have the luxury of taking a snow day," he said.

There may be delays in some of the outpatient surgeries and such therapies as dialysis and chemotherapy, so patients scheduled for procedures on Wednesday should confirm with their providers, he said. Plowing hospital roads will be continuous, so emergency room access shouldn't be a problem, DeBobes said.

Carpool plans and patient shuttle service at Long Beach Medical Center were in the works. If buses to the hospital aren't running Wednesday morning, hospital officials - including chief executive Douglas Melzer - will pick up employees from their homes, said hospital spokeswoman Sharon Player.

As of Tuesday night, state courts in Suffolk and Nassau were still scheduled to open on Wednesday.

However, grand jurors and people scheduled to serve on jury duty did not have to report on Wednesday, according to the state court website.

Jurors who have been sworn in by a trial judge were told to follow the directions of the judge.

With Alfonso A. Castillo, Carl MacGowan, Candice Ferrette, Bill Bleyer and Rick Brand