Blizzard of 2026: As it happened

Wintry mix arrives overnight as Long Islanders dig out

Long Island dug out Tuesday after a historic storm dumped as much as 30 inches of snow on parts of the region, with road crews and residents alike clearing roads or front yards and the LIRR resuming regular service.

Long Islanders might see snow move in overnight into Wednesday and potentially mix with rain once the sun comes up, with about a half inch of snow on the South Fork and an inch in most other places, National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Ciemnecki said.

Sunshine is in the forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with daytime highs near 40 degrees.

The storm was a fatal one for some.

Six people on Long Island — three in Suffolk and three in Nassau — died while outdoors Monday during the storm, spokespeople for both counties told Newsday. Two of the people who died in Suffolk were shoveling snow at time, said county spokesperson Mike Martino, In Nassau, the three people who died were also shoveling, according to county spokesperson Chris Boyle, adding that their deaths were all heart-related.

Read here for more on the storm's aftermath.

Slippery sidewalks a 'mess' in Hicksville

While walking around downtown Hicksville to run errands on Tuesday, Daniel Osorio said he felt unsafe. Not only were the sidewalks icy, but pedestrians crossing and walking down major multi-lane thoroughfares such as Newbridge Road could hardly access them.

“It’s a mess everywhere still,” Osorio, 25, of Bellport, said as he waited for a train at the Hicksville train station. “There’s still a lot of snow all over the sidewalk; you got to walk in the street. It’s not easy getting around right now at all … You have to walk side-by-side with the highway.”

Mounds of snow several feet high flanked cars parked alongside two-lane residential roads, such as East Marie Street. Other roads, such as West Marie Street, were bumpy and slippery due to a thin layer of snow, causing drivers to reduce their speeds.

Three storm-related deaths in Nassau

Three people died from shoveling snow in Nassau, according to Nassau County spokesman Chris Boyle.
The deaths took place either during or after snow-shoveling and were all heart-related, Boyle said.
None of the people were found in the snow or on the street, according to Boyle, who did not have further information.

Read more on deaths caused by the storm.

Three storm-related deaths in Nassau

Three people died from shoveling snow in Nassau, according to Nassau County spokesman Chris Boyle.
The deaths took place either during or after snow-shoveling and were all heart-related, Boyle said.
None of the people were found in the snow or on the street, according to Boyle, who did not have further information.

Read more on deaths caused by the storm.

Downtown Wantagh looking good

In downtown Wantagh, Wantagh Avenue and Jerusalem Avenue were nearly spotless, as were some side streets. Neighbors appeared to have cleared sidewalks and fire hydrants.

"I went food shopping a little while ago, it looks pretty good to me, I got around," Frank Fontana, 56, of Wantagh, said. "I’ve got no complaints, maybe other people do."

Neighbors like Jake Borgia spent some of his Tuesday afternoon shoveling snow several inches thick that caked a long stretch of his block, including in front of his home.

"I think the plow came, and this is probably from people snow blowing into the street snow from their sidewalks," Borgia, 22, of Wantagh, said. He said his neighbors are used to plows coming by to clean up the snow strewn from the sidewalk to the road, but it appeared some cleared their sidewalks too late.

"Typically they do plow, but they’re never here the day after [a storm]," Borgia added. "I think the last time the plow came was about 3 p.m. yesterday."

Road work, cleanups continue in Hamptons, Shelter Island

Southampton Village’s Highway Department is applying salt on roads "sparingly" due to a shortage, public works superintendent Stephen Phillips said in a message on social media.

Meanwhile, a state of emergency in the village is in effect through Wednesday at 7 a.m. Southampton received 26 inches of snow during the storm, according to National Weather Service reports.

Phillips said in an interview the highway department will focus on salting main roads, including Hill Street, North Sea Road and the roads surrounding Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, The department cares for the 51 miles of village roads.

Phillips is urging residents to drive carefully, especially on secondary roads in the village. He said the highway department was expecting a salt delivery later Tuesday, but less than he ordered.

"Every street in the village is passable," he said. "The little bit of salt that I did put down on the main drags is starting to work, and it's all finally starting to melt."

In East Hampton Village, village employees and contractors transport snow from the village’s business district and major road to Two Mile Beach, where it’s left to melt, Village Administrator Marcos Baladrón said.

"The roads are clear. Our guys are really good at this," Baladrón said. "We're open for business. The downtown's open."

Shelter Island Highway Superintendent Ken Lewis said Tuesday afternoon that roads were clear, and plows were doing minor cleanups.

"We're all a little tired, but all in all, I think we're in good shape out here," he said.

Southampton Town checking for potential beach erosion off Dune Road

Dune Road was closed during the blizzard any potential erosion from the storm, Southampton Town Police Chief James Kiernan said Tuesday.

The road has no drainage and is prone to flooding during storms, and Kiernan is expecting significant erosion on its beach.

"We don't know the extent of it, but we'll be taking a look at that today and the next couple of days to see where that is," he said.

Three people in Suffolk died while outside amid blizzard

Three people died while outside in Suffolk during the blizzard Monday, a county spokesperson told Newsday. See more here.

Snow drifts an impediment to snow removal in Southampton Town

Blowing snow drifts from farm fields and golf courses have made it harder for snow removal on Southampton Town roads, highway superintendent Charlie McArdle said Tuesday. Drifts were an issue during the storm, causing some plows to get stuck, McArdle said.

The first extended glimpse of sunshine Tuesday only helped matters.

"We're getting a break today," he told Newsday, "and hopefully some of the snow will melt and the guys will clean up the shoulders, and we'll get to every road that we didn't get to."

 McArdle's advice to residents in town still waiting for the return of snowless roads? Be patient.

"We’ll get to them as soon as we can," he said.

NICE Bus service to Nassau Community College remains suspended 'due to road conditions'

Although NICE Bus had largely returned to regular service Tuesday after being suspended much of Sunday and Monday, buses still are not serving Nassau Community College “due to road conditions,” officials said late in the afternoon.

“Buses will be bypassing the College,” NICE told customers in a service alert posted on its web site. “Sorry for the inconvenience.”

The End of Long Island is a reliable friend for cooped-up Uniondale couple

For some Long Islanders dealing with the snow, by Tuesday, they had finally, literally reached The End.

Saul and Isabelle Linares, 47, had been cooped up at home in Uniondale since Sunday, unable to go to work. By Tuesday, they decided to make the nearly 100-mile trip to Montauk Point.

"This is the third day, so we got bored and wanted to look and enjoy the snow," Saul Linares said. "We got 24 inches of snow and wanted to bring our dogs and see the end of the island. It's a lot of snow, it's crazy. We see a lot of people are slow coming back to work and it’s not completely open yet."

Blizzard latest lethal storm threat for homeless Long Islanders

The blizzard was historic, but to homeless outreach advocates, in some ways, it was just the latest in a cold stretch of storms that can be lethal for Long Islanders living on the street.

Maureen’s Haven operates winter shelters and 17 host sites in Suffolk County and the East End, said the organization’s director Dan O’Shea.

Many of the sites have been capacity, with about 35 people per night for the past month, following the January snowstorm, bitter cold and Sunday’s blizzard, O'Shea said.

The organization takes referrals and makes outreach to anyone in need of shelter from the cold, he said.

"We do everything to not turn anyone away," O’Shea said. "A lot of people have stayed ... for several weeks since the first storm."

He said outreach efforts are higher in areas like Riverhead, working with stakeholders to make contact for warm shelter.

"It's so cold out there, we don't want people to risk getting sick or worse," O’Shea said. "There's so much snow in the wooded areas. I can't imagine walking out to get out of the elements."

Other organizations, such as Hamptons Community Outreach, went searching in homeless encampments in wooded areas in the Hamptons to prevent people from potentially freezing to death.

The organization’s founder and director, Marit Molin, said everyone they made contact with were staying in motels, paid for by donors.

LIRR resuming regular service on Wednesday

The Long Island Rail Road is resuming regular service on Wednesday and increasing options for the Tuesday evening commute.

Read more here.

Downtown Patchogue mostly clear

Overall, Main Street in downtown Patchogue Village was clear and mostly dry, save for the occasional splash of brown slush.

Many parking spaces on either side of the thoroughfare lined with restaurants and boutiques remained covered in snow or slush, but some vehicles parked regardless. Pedestrians walked cautiously on the sidewalks, which alternated between completely clear to frozen over with ice at least an inch thick.

Attorney Joel Furman said he thought the village "has done a great job" cleaning the roads, especially "considering the circumstances" of the historic blizzard. After getting rid of the ice from the sidewalks in front of his buildings, including his law practice, he had to return to the municipal parking lot he previously cleared to shovel out a dumpster that a plow covered with one of many snow piles, including some that stretched upward of 10 feet.

"You try to do everything yourself, but you still don’t have control," Furman, 78, of Patchogue, said.

Long, tedious cleanup in Babylon

Vincent Piccoli, Babylon Town’s public works commissioner, said about 95% of the town’s roads were passable as of Tuesday afternoon. He said workers are now widening travel lanes where possible and over the next few days will begin the process of "addressing the massive snow piles" created by plowing roadways.

"It has certainly been a very long and tedious effort for our storm-equipment operators," he said. "They have been challenged with a historic storm which resulted in 30 inches of snow, whiteout conditions, equipment issues, gale force winds, snow drifts and fatigue."

Piccoli said that department employees reported to work at 4 p.m. Sunday and since then have only each had eight hours of sleep in two, four-hour shifts.

High school basketball playoffs rescheduled after blizzard

The blizzard of 2026 had quite an impact on the high school sports schedule. All boys and girls public-school basketball playoff games scheduled for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were postponed and rescheduled for later in the week.

“People can check the Section XI website for the updated information," Tom Combs, the executive director for Section XI, which governs all Suffolk school sports. "We gave the athletes an extra day to get ready for the playoffs because schools were closed the first two days of this week and they couldn’t practice.”

Read more here.

Mail service not fully back to normal

The U.S. Postal Service is experiencing disruptions across Long Island on Tuesday.

"We resumed service today," spokesperson Amy N. Gibbs said on Tuesday, "but in reality it is going by route and by address — and it really is depending on safety conditions."

That's after the blizzard forced the USPS to cancel deliveries, collections and retail operations on Monday.

Gibbs said that postal carriers are having to contend with everything from snowed-in mailboxes to icy porches.

Residents need to clear an area around their mailboxes so carriers can gain safe access, she said.

"They will make every attempt to deliver," Gibbs said. "But, the underlying issue is safety."

Running out of blizzard snacks in East Hampton

Alia Ferullo, 59, of East Hampton, said she was getting cabin fever after being snowed in by the blizzard. She fell victim to what many others stuck inside succumbed to: running out of blizzard snacks.

With her road and driveway still not plowed, Ferullo said she made a "mission impossible" maneuver, rolling down the snow to get to downtown East Hampton to buy more provisions.

"We were absolutely, completely stranded yesterday, and we didn't actually get anybody around to clean out the snow," Ferullo said. "But today, I decided I had to get out. So I actually rolled over the snow to Montauk Highway like Tom Cruise. I tried treading in it, but I got all the snow in my boots, so I just managed to get out."

She said she tried shoveling more than 2 feet of snow Monday, but the snow was too much and just worked up an appetite. A full-time resident for more than six years, Ferullo said she loves the snow.

"I ran out of food completely. I actually am not very experienced on how to build up food for the for the snowstorm," she said. "This is the most snow I've ever seen in my whole life. And I just think it's really beautiful. I love the fact that everything has come to a standstill, and we all have to be present to the day and just living and surviving, just getting food and just knowing how to get through the time."

'Heavy artillery' at work in Riverhead

Riverhead Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski said town crews are still putting the “final touches” on the snow clearing effort.

“We have a couple roads we’re trying to make wider, safer,” he said in an interview Tuesday.

Wind is still causing snow drifts to pile up in some open farm areas, he said. “We’ve got to bring in the heavy artillery.”

Regular plows don’t stand a chance against tall piles of snow, Zaleski said. Payloaders, snow blowers and other equipment are being used to push back snow, but Zaleski said the town only has a limited number, so it takes time.

The department also plans to reapply salt and sand before the end of Tuesday since there’s light snow in the forecast Wednesday. “We’re just tightening everything up so I can get my men home at the end of the day for well deserved rest,” Zaleski said.

'Functional' road conditions in Northport

Northport Village Administrator Roland Buzard said in an email that current road conditions across the village were “functional.”

Government offices, most Main Street businesses and restaurants were open. Main Street sidewalks were clear, but parking in the business area is reduced as cleanup continues. Parking is available in several lots.

Major roads are "generally clear & dry" with some wet spots so Buzard cautioned to look for black ice. Tertiary roads in most parts are reported as clear or passable, though many neighborhood streets across Northport remain somewhat rough.

High winds caused snow drifts, particularly on secondary and neighborhood roads still being cleared.

“During the storm, the biggest challenge was the continuous snow and the unrelenting wind, which repeatedly covered the roadways with drifts,” Buzard said. “Crews would clear areas only to return and find the once clean roadway was covered again.”

LIRR snow-fighting equipment issue

The Long Island Rail Road’s efforts to restore service on branches that remains suspended were temporarily set back when a broom attachment came off of a piece of snow-fighting equipment in West Hempstead and had to be put back on, officials said.

Service remains suspended on the West Hempstead branch, as it is on the Far Rockaway, Long Beach, Hempstead, and Greenport branches.

Finding homes for snow piles in Farmingdale

Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand said a crew of 10 plow drivers worked throughout the storm to clear the village's 23 miles of roads and nine parking lots.

"Most of the village is down to black top," he said.

He said the village is now receiving complaints about high piles of snow that crews have scattered throughout the village to deal with the intense accumulation.

"The biggest problem is: Where do you put 21 inches of snow?" Ekstrand said. "They're doing the best they can."

John Tassone, Oyster Bay's chief deputy commissioner of public works, said the town's 275 plow drivers first focused on making its 700 miles of residential roads passable for emergency vehicles and are now working on clearing roads curb to curb. Vehicles parked on the side of the street are creating challenges in that effort, he said.

"Before the end of the week, hopefully we're fully clear," Tassone said.

Battling snow drifts in Southold

After more than 30 hours battling whiteout conditions, stuck equipment and 10 foot snow drifts, Southold Highway Superintendent Dan Goodwin said he sent his crew home late Monday night.

“We made one last run on all the really bad spots and pushed them back as far as we could,” he said in an interview Tuesday. “And the wind was kind of letting up at the same time. It was nice to wake up and see the trees not moving this morning. That gave us a little bit of a reprieve.”

On Tuesday, Goodwin said the department is focusing on cleaning up drifting snow from farm roads, cleaning intersections and making additional passes down residential streets where snow may have piled up after homeowners cleaned up their driveways.

Some farm roads could be briefly shut down while crews break out heavy machinery to push snowdrifts back and widen the lanes.

“You need those taller plows that have that funneling action to get the snow up and over the bank,” Goodwin said. “These trucks are even having a hard time doing that because the banks are so high.”

The highway superintendent said it could take days to fully recover. Later in the week, the department may bring in dump trucks to remove large piles of snow from downtown areas, including Love Lane in Mattituck.

“That’s usually two to three days after the storm after everybody gets a little bit of rest,” he said. “Today is like triage. The bleeding stopped yesterday ... through the rest of the week, we can start talking about the cosmetic surgery.”

Arriving in snow country at Ronkonkoma

Cole Fitter, 27, of East Quogue, had taken the train to Ronkonkoma early Tuesday afternoon after visiting a friend in Pittsburgh.

“I knew there was gonna be snow, I didn't know it was blizzard category,” Fitter said.

Fitter said while his Amtrak train had been stopped at one point on Monday on its way from Pittsburgh to New York City, he wasn’t sure if it was weather-related and was not concerned.

Since he doesn’t have to return to work until Wednesday, Fitter, a barista, said he is excited to see and do activities in the snow.

“I can get to go snowshoeing and ... see about getting into nature and seeing all this beautiful snow,” he said.

Restoring power in Water Mill

Electricity was being restored to about 50 people in Water Mill, where downed trees and branches brought down power lines on  Rose Hill Road. Crews were repairing lines and cutting fallen tree branches, climbing through knee-deep snow through trees off the street.

Deniz Baydemir, 26, was shoveling out nearly 3 feet of snow from his house to reach his car buried on the road. He said the house he was living in lost power for about 12 hours.

“I mean, on the side of the house, "one of the trees from the neighbor's yard actually fell on the home, and the snow didn't stop,” Baydemir said. “It just kept going. Plows didn't hit the streets until maybe 11 p.m. last night. So you know, we were kind of a little nervous, just kind of sitting in the home waiting for the snow to stop."

Climbing snow mountains in East Hampton

Erica Uribe, 45, of Montauk, was climbing on a 12-foot snow berm behind a shopping center in East Hampton to take a minute to play in the snow.

“We’re having a lot of fun and take life as it is and enjoy all four seasons,” she said.

Uribe, an EMT in Montauk, said she returned from Ecuador just before the blizzard. She said she did not lose power and checked on her neighbors during the storm.

“I was afraid of losing power as an EMT. We worried about the roads and needing to get to people,” Uribe said. "The roads are not as great as would like them to be. It was scary at first and hope everyone is safe. We didn't lose power, but I know a lot of people got it back.”

At Hicksville, snow and perseverance on the LIRR

The Long Island Rail Road’s 10:07 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma Tuesday, which left six minutes late, made it without incident to Hicksville, where the station’s parking lot was nearly filled to capacity but for the few spots taken up by unplowed snow.

While the lot was clear for pedestrians, work was needed on the crosswalk to the station, where a good amount of slush had accumulated.

More than a dozen bags of ice melt were observed on the station’s sidewalk, awaiting continued ice and snow removal and treatment.

The Hicksville platform was clear of ice and snow. It was quiet on the outside platforms, as many opted to stay in the warm waiting rooms before their trains arrived.

At noon, other than a minor delay on the Babylon Branch, the six operating branches of the LIRR were running on or close to the planned reduced service.

Using salt 'sparingly' in Southampton

Southampton Village’s Highway Department is applying salt on roads “sparingly” due to a shortage, Public Works Superintendent Stephen Phillips said in a message on social media.

The department will focus on salting main roads, including Hill Street, North Sea Road, and the roads surrounding Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Phillips said in an interview.

Phillips is urging residents to drive carefully, especially on secondary roads in the village. He said the highway department is expecting a salt delivery later Tuesday, but less than he ordered.

“Every street in the village is passable,” he said. “The little bit of salt that I did put down on the main drags is starting to work, and [the ice] is all finally starting to melt.”

A state of emergency in the village is in effect through Wednesday at 7 a.m. Southampton received 26 inches of snow during the storm, according to National Weather Service reports.

Scene at the Ronkonkoma LIRR station

The 10:07 a.m. Long Island Rail Road train to Penn Station from Ronkonkoma started six minutes late Tuesday, with dozens of travelers eager to board.

The parking lot leading to the platform posed a challenge, as only a sliver of a path was carved out from piles of snow pushed to a median.

Untouched and unplowed snow put an abundance of parking spaces out of commission in the lot, at 1000 Railroad Ave.

Despite a few puddles, the Ronkonkoma train platform had been thoroughly salted and was clear of snow and ice Tuesday morning.

The LIRR was operating on a reduced schedule.

Katy Carroll, 37, of Albany, said she traveled to her hometown of Nesconset on Sunday to attend her sister’s baby shower.

"I knew things were going to be bad, but it was important to me," she said, wearing a hat, coat and scarf and carrying two full tote bags.

Downed tree knocks out power in Laurel

How many crashes happened during the storm?

Officials in both counties have updated their statistics on motor vehicle crashes during the storm.

Suffolk police reported 269 motor vehicle accidents between 11 a.m. Sunday and 11:30 p.m. Monday, according to Michael Martino, the director of communications for Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine. 

Suffolk fire officials responded to 43 calls for motor vehicle accidents with injuries during that same time period, they said.

Nassau County police said that as of 5 a.m. Tuesday, 167 motor vehicle accidents had been reported since Sunday at 9 a.m. A further breakdown was not immediately available.

Hurricane force winds in 'historic' storm

Calling it “a historic nor’easter” that buried parts of Long Island under 30 inches of snow, the National Weather Service said Tuesday it recorded winds of 84 mph in Montauk and 74 mph in Stony Brook during the height of the storm.

Both measurements qualify as hurricane force, in which a Category 1 hurricane packs winds of 74 to 95 mph.

The wind recordings across Long Island were remarkable, from the North Fork to the South Shore, including 69 mph in Southold, 68 mph in Baiting Hollow, 67 mph in Eatons Neck, 65 mph at Robert Moses State Park, and 60 mph in Blue Point.

Many other areas saw winds of 50 mph or more, including Bayville on Long Island Sound (59); Gabreski Airport in Westhampton (58); Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma (54) and Republic Airport in East Farmingdale (53).

Many other areas in Nassau and Suffolk saw winds of at least 40 mph, which qualify as gale force winds, defined as 39 to 54 mph.

While official Long Island weather data only dates to 1963, weather service records suggest the area’s worst winter storm remains the Great Blizzard of 1888, a storm known as the Great White Hurricane. Taking place March 11-14, 1888, that storm saw as much as 58 inches of snow, a recorded snowdrift of 52 feet in Gravesend, Brooklyn, and wind gusts greater than 80 mph in some areas.

NICE bus service resumes full schedule

The Nassau Inter-County Express bus service has resumed its full schedule, including paratransit service.

Officials said delays are still possible depending on road conditions and that the most up-to-date information can be found on the GoMobile app.

Nassau family court closed today

The Nassau County Family Court and Matrimonial Center will be closed due to a problem in the building at 101 County Seat Dr. in Mineola.

Family court emergency applications will be heard in the Nassau County Supreme Court building beginning at 11 a.m.

For more information, call 516-419-1597.

LIRR reports new delays

Predictably, some Long Island Rail Road trains experienced delays during the morning commute after the railroad resumed limited service under difficult post-blizzard challenges.

The LIRR reported on its website that the 7:26 a.m. train from Port Washington to Penn Station was operating 15-20 minutes late following the resumption of services, which began on six LIRR branches about 4 a.m. Tuesday.

The 7:07 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station was operating 15-20 minutes late. And the 8:07 a.m. train from Port Jefferson to Huntington was running 15-20 minutes late, the LIRR reported.

Limited service was also restored on the Babylon, Oyster Bay, and Montauk branches.

You can see specific service changes here.

Latest on power outages

PSEG Long Island is about 1,000 customers with power outages just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

More than 42,000 customers have experienced an outage since Sunday at 3 p.m., the utility has said.

You can see the latest updates on power restoration here.

Malls expected to be open

Tanger Outlets in Deer Park and Riverhead announced it will delay its opening until noon on Tuesday, according to its website.

Roosevelt Field in Uniondale, Smith Haven Mall in Smithtown, Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station and Woodbury Commons were scheduled to open on time, owner Simon Malls reported on its website.

Roosevelt Field and Smith Haven had announced delayed openings on Monday, while Walt Whitman Shops and Woodbury Commons were closed.

Riverhead digging out of record-setting storm

AirTrain, ferry resume partial service

Kennedy Airport resumed partial service on its AirTrain from Jamaica to Federal Circle Monday night after suspending the system, the airport reported on X. Free shuttle buses were replacing the AirTrain between Howard Beach/Lefferts Boulevard to Federal Circle and Federal Circle to the airline terminals.

While Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Steamboat Company resumed ferry service Tuesday, the Cross Sound Ferry in Orient again canceled all departures.

Both ferries canceled service on Monday.

Delays, cancellations continue at airports

The tristate area continued to experience airline delays and cancellations Tuesday morning due to weather conditions, including 55 delays and 426 cancellations at Kennedy Airport, according to website Flight Aware as of 6:30 a.m.

At LaGuardia Airport, the website listed 14 delays and 447 cancellations. There were 29 delays and 476 cancellations reported at Newark Liberty International Airport. The figures were changing rapidly.

On Long Island, MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma listed six departing flights cancelled, and four arriving flights cancelled for its Tuesday schedule on its website.

Farmingdale comes back to life

A predawn tour of Farmingdale showed progress in clearing away the effects of this week’s epic snowfall.

Fulton Street, state Route 109, was plowed to the pavement between Hempstead Turnpike and Republic Airport, just east of Route 110, under clear skies and reporting 27 degrees and winds of 10 mph, gusting to 18. Traffic was light but moving at speed.

Route 109 is lined with mounds of plowed snow commonly seen in upstate Buffalo or Utica at this time of year.

A few gas stations were open along the thoroughfare, as was the Dunkin’ between Doud and Weiden streets.

The side streets off Route 109 that connect to Main Street in the village were clear but had  many icy spots. They were navigable at a moderate speed. Residents had dug out their cars and driveways.

More snow in the forecast

After this record-setting blizzard, Long Island can surely handle the new snow that is forecast for this week, beginning early Wednesday.

The National Weather Service predicts the region will see more snow beginning Wednesday, mainly after 4 a.m., with new accumulations of less than one inch.

The snow will continue before mixing with rain after 10 a.m. before gradually ending and giving way to mostly sunny skies with highs near 40 degrees, forecasters said.

Another round of snow is possible on Thursday before 1 p.m., followed by cloudy skies that could bring more snow Thursday night. Accumulations are minimal, the weather service said.

Friday and the weekend bring hope of sunny skies and warming temperatures, the NWS reported.

LIRR operating on limited schedule

The Long Island Rail Road restored limited service on some of its lines Tuesday, including Port Jefferson, Babylon and Ronkonkoma beginning around 4 a.m., the railroad announced on its website.

Those first trains including the 3:53 a.m. from Huntington to Penn Station and the 4:47 a.m. from Port Jefferson to Jamaica.

The Port Washington and Oyster Bay branches were also scheduled to begin service early Monday.

A problem emerged immediately: The 4:40 a.m. train from Babylon to Penn Station was operating 10 to 15 minutes late due to weather-related issues, the railroad reported.

The LIRR suspended all service Monday, citing safety concerns and track-clearing efforts

Long Islanders dig out after blizzard; more snow ahead, but far less of it

The blizzard that spent the better part of a day walloping Long Island has moved on, and now the region tries to return to something close to normal — at least until Tuesday night, when more snow is in the forecast, with yet another dose possible by late Thursday.

The National Weather Service said it won't come close to anything resembling the blizzard, which hit Long Island Sunday and dumped 29.1 inches of snow at Long Island MacArthur Airport — unofficially a record — overnight into Monday The weather service estimated new snow totals into Wednesday below a half inch. More snow, mixed with rain, is possible after 1 p.m. Thursday.

On Tuesday, Long Island commuters will be able to ride on six branches of the LIRR after the entire system shutdown during the storm.

Dozens of school districts were scheduled to be closed or teaching remotely.

And after travel bans for part of Monday in Suffolk and Nassau counties, highways and most major streets were expected to be clear by Tuesday’s morning rush hour, according to AAA Northeast, but town supervisors warned that some residential streets might not reopen until Tuesday afternoon.

Long Island MacArthur, Kennedy and LaGuardia airports were resuming service late Monday after thousands of canceled flights earlier in the day.

No major flooding in Babylon, Lindenhurst villages

The villages of Babylon and Lindenhurst were spared major flooding issues, officials there said, as plowing efforts continued into the night.

In Babylon, Mayor Mary Adams said the village did not experience any flooding. She praised the “true dedication” of the more than 20 employees who have been out clearing the roads. She said in a text that they would continue overnight, “taking rest periods in their cars within our highway department.”

Lindenhurst Mayor Mike Lavorata said his village did not experience any “serious flooding.” He said department of public works employees will remain out all night, plowing in shifts so that workers can get some rest. “It’s the biggest storm in my 42 years of living here,” Lavorata said in a text.

First snow, then orthopedic injuries, chest pains

As Long Islanders emerged from their homes to dig out from the massive snowstorm, hospitals began seeing a spike in back injuries from shoveling, wrist and knee injuries from slipping and falling on the ice, and chest pains from overexertion.

“The biggest one and the most major thing that we see is an increase in the number of heart attacks right after a storm,” said Dr. Peter McKenna, medical director of the Stony Brook University Hospital emergency department, where doctors saw several people Monday arrive after having heart attacks. “People go outside into the cold and they shovel heavy snow, and it's the most physical activity that they've done all year. And they kind of fail their own stress test.”

Read more here. 

'All hands on deck' in Southold

In Southold, Highway Superintendent Dan Goodwin spent much of Monday on a payloader, he told Newsday. “It’s all hands on deck,” he said, estimating about 35 to 40 employees were still out on the roads as of late Monday afternoon.

Their efforts were often hampered by equipment breakdowns, he said. “When you’re dealing with a snowfall of this magnitude, you’re going to expect to have quite a bit of mechanical issues and on top of it, this was a very wet snow so it’s extremely heavy.”

He estimated snowdrifts to be over 10 feet in some locations.

Keeper of Montauk Point Lighthouse clocks winds at 88 mph

Joe Gaviola, the lighthouse keeper at the Montauk Point Lighthouse, said the winds hit 88 mph Monday morning, so powerful, "I felt my residence shaking ... I've lived up here for a while, I've lived through nor'easters, hurricanes, others snowstorms, but this was the most intense I remember in my life. It not only hit with hurricane-force winds, but the snow was heavy and wet. ... The energy of this was a force that I haven't felt before."

Gaviola said the high winds blew most of the snow from the ground around the lighthouse. Damage to the residence and the lighthouse, commissioned in 1792 by President George Washington: one broken screen.

AG warns New Yorkers to be wary when hiring snow removal contractors

Long Islanders should research snow removal contractors before hiring them and never pay full price ahead of their service, according to New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Before hiring someone to dig them out of their houses following what may be a record-shattering blizzard, homeowners should ensure they can be trusted, James said in a Monday news release.

Read more here. 

Islip storm total: A record 31 inches

Some Long Islanders dug themselves out of more than two-and-a-half feet of snow on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Central Islip was pummelled with 31 inches of snow, the weather service announced in its updated snow totals late Monday. First responders reported 30 inches, or two-and-a-half feet, in East Islip while the weather service recorded 29.1 inches at its official measuring site in Islip. If the agency’s measurement is made official following a review, this blizzard storm would shatter the previous record in Islip, 27.8 inches, set in 2013. The Suffolk community with the least snow was Greenlawn at 11.3 inches.

Overall, Nassau faired slightly better than Suffolk. North Merrick received the most at 25.4 inches, East Massapequa received 24.5 inches and Bethpage got 24.4. The community of Jericho fared the best with 15.2 inches.

Babylon workers clearing roads rescue two dogs

Babylon Town workers Kenny McGowan and Jason Koza were out plowing Monday when they spotted two dogs running down the median of Sunrise Highway near North Delaware Avenue.

With the help of some good Samaritans, the workers were able to get the dogs into their truck and over to the Babylon Animal Shelter. There, workers found one of the dogs was microchipped, and they eventually located their owners, Babylon Town spokesman Ryan Bonner said.

Bonner said the town had 145 workers with 115 plows out on the roads Monday.

The dense, heavy snow was creating equipment challenges, he wrote in a text, including increased wear and tear on plow blades and vehicles becoming stuck in the snow.

Bonner said workers will remain out “around the clock” and estimates snow removal to take at least 48 hours in order for roads to be “passable.” Beyond that, he said snow clearing will extend well into the weekend and likely into next week.

Parking restrictions suspended overnight at Huntington LIRR lots

Huntington Town officials said parking restrictions are temporarily suspended at LIRR and municipal parking lots, including the parking garage at the Huntington LIRR station.

“We had quite a few people park their cars at the Huntington [LIRR], garage which we encourage them to do,” Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said.

The temporary suspension is in effect overnight. Town officials will make a determination on Tuesday morning on when to lift it.

Delayed Suffolk transit start

Suffolk County Transit (SCT) will start bus service at 10 a.m. Tuesday, depending on weather and roadway conditions, officials said.

Buses may operate at "reduced speeds," the agency said in a release and customers are urged to plan on additional travel time. 

CT crews will begin clearing at the 2,200 bus shelters and stops "as resources allow" the release said.

Customers can consult apps such as Transit, Google Maps, and Apple Maps, to monitor bus arrivals in real time and can check the Suffolk County Transit website, the Transit app, and X (@sctbusinfo) for updates.

Suffolk County struggling to dig out from the worst blizzard in years

Long Beach weathers storm; roads in good shape, city manager says

By late Monday afternoon in Long Beach, the roads were in good shape, city manager Daniel Creighton said, and there were no serious issues with flooding.

"We do pay very close attention to the tides, but we haven't had any bad flooding,” he said.

The city employed about 40 pieces of equipment to plow.

"We're leaving a few guys on to continue to clean up a little bit,” Creighton said.

Other workers will get some time to rest but will be back on the streets at 4 a.m. Tuesday, he said.

Heavy, wet snow a problem in East Hampton

About 50 plows and trucks worked in East Hampton to clear the snow, “but they can't do anything because it's so heavy,” Highway Superintendent Stephen Lynch said.

He said some of the trucks have gotten stuck. “We've been pulling them out with payloaders,” he said, which also have been used to clear roads.

The town imposed a travel ban until 9 p.m. Monday, but Lynch said it will likely be extended.

LIRR to restore limited service on 6 branches Tuesday, MTA says

The Long Island Rail Road, following its first systemwide shut down in four years because of the storm, will restore limited service on six branches in time for the Tuesday morning rush hour, MTA officials said.

Beginning at 4 a.m. Tuesday, the LIRR will resume operations on its Ronkonkoma, Huntington, Babylon, Oyster Bay, Montauk, and Port Washington branches, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The LIRR planned to release more details about the limited service later Monday evening, and urged customers to consult the TrainTime app or sign up for email and text alerts.

"The LIRR will work to restore service on the other branches throughout the day tomorrow and service will resume on a rolling basis as conditions allow," the MTA said in a statement.

Riverhead Town extends travel ban to Tuesday

Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin said he was extending the town’s travel ban until 6 a.m. Tuesday. There have been several instances of vehicles stuck in drifting snow, he said, particularly north of Route 25.

"It’s still incredibly dangerous to be out there," Halpin said Monday afternoon. "People are going to think the road looks good, but it’s not worth it."

Halpin said the town’s highway department has utilized "every truck" available to plow the snow.

"They spent most of the morning trying to keep the main roads open for EMS and fire," Halpin said.

NYC homeless check

The NYPD checked on homeless people in the city from midnight Sunday until Monday at 2 p.m.

Officers made 917 encampment visits and had contacts with 130 persons, the NYPD said.

In those contacts, 127 people refused services and two accepted services when offered. One person was involuntarily removed as being a risk to themselves, the NYPD said.

Crews in Brookhaven working through Tuesday to clear town roads

In Brookhaven, crews were planning to work through Monday night into Tuesday to clear town roadways of snow, Highway Supervisor Dan Losquadro said. He predicted roads would not be completely cleared until late Tuesday.

Brookhaven had about 450 pieces of equipment on the roads, he said, including 250 town trucks and 200 trucks contracted by the town.

"It’s just going to take time," Losquadro said Monday afternoon.

Huntington Town snow-clearing effort includes 300 plows

Huntington Town deployed 300 plows, 120 of their own along with 180 from outside vendors, Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said Monday.

The town prioritizes the major routes to Huntington Hospital, Smyth said, adding that the most challenging areas to plow are the numbered streets in Huntington Station and Centerport because they are narrow.

The supervisor said the areas farthest east and south in the town were the heaviest hit.

"I think the lightest areas of the town got a foot of snow," Smyth said. "It’s really just a question: ‘Did you get one or two feet of snow?’ "

He said there were only a couple of reports of trees down but those were quickly addressed.

In Shirley, some shoveled out, but for others, fun in the snow

Children rejoiced on a snow day, firefighters dug out to respond to emergencies and motorists shoveled their vehicles free — a thumbnail sketch of Shirley on Monday.

Firefighters at the Ridge Fire Department Company 2 in Shirley plowed their parking lot before they could answer about eight fire and medical emergencies since the storm hit Sunday according to Lt. John DeVito Jr.

Outside their house nearby, Jake Mazzarella, 12, and his brother Lucas, 9, sped down a snow path in plastic sliding discs.

Their mother said a snowblower carved the path for that very purpose.

"Now it's time for relaxing, having some fun and enjoying the snow day," Shelly Mazzarella said.

It wasn't as much fun for Mark Perez, 29, of Mastic, and Angel Mendez, 35, of Centereach on Monday. They were attempting to free Mendez’s pickup truck mired in snow on Stratler Drive after lending a hand.

"We’re just being of service and helping out a neighbor," Mendez said. "Now we’re stuck, but it’s all good."

After 15 or so minutes of shoveling and pushing, Mendez’s two-wheel drive GMC Yukon was moving once again.

Tractor-trailer restrictions lifted

All weather-related tractor-trailer travel restrictions have been lifted for commercial vehicles, according to the state transportation department.

That includes previous travel bans and lane restrictions on the Long Island Expressway, Sunrise Highway and other major Long island highways.

Normal travel without restrictions can resume immediately.

LI courts opening delayed Tuesday

Nassau and Suffolk courts will have a delayed opening Tuesday due to the storm.

"All courts will open and begin operations at 11:00 a.m.," said Timothy P. Finnerty, the public information officer for the office of the District Administrative Judge.

The Nassau court system put out a similar statement Monday afternoon.

Courts were closed Monday due to the weather.

PSEG Long Island list ways to stay safe amid a power outage

In a message on it's website, PSEG Long Island posted the following list of ways to avoid injury on the road and at home if there is a power outage.

1. If using a generator, follow all manufacturer’s instructions. Do not connect it to your electrical wiring. Operate it only outdoors, never in enclosed space, including an open garage, and at least 20 feet away from windows and vents. Wait for it to cool down before refueling.
2. Never use your range or oven to heat your home.
3. Consider any downed wire to be a live electric wire. Maintain a distance of at least 30 feet from a downed wire and do not drive over wires. To report a downed wire at any time, call PSEG Long Island at 800-490-0075 or call 911.
4. If you reach an intersection where traffic lights are off and no authorities are directing traffic, you must stop as you would for a stop sign and then follow standard right-of-way rules.

No rush at Penn Station

The beehive of commuters who are typically buzzing through Penn Station during rush hour was a fraction Monday of normal.

"No Passengers," read one screen. "Service Suspended," read another.

Babylon, Hempstead, Oyster Bay, "+ 8 Lines" are suspended, read a third screen.

In place of the usual commuters waiting for, or sometimes running for, trains home were mostly stranded travelers and homeless people taking refuge from the snow, both groups in disproportionate numbers to usual. Roughly half of the stores and eateries were open, including Shake Shack, Raising Cane's and Starbucks. Some, including Le Café Coffee, closed early. The stranded travelers — some having gotten off Amtrak trains, themselves delayed though not canceled — clustered in the open eateries and where commuters typically wait.

Roro Notoadisardjono, 48, of Shirley, just arrived in from Florida, where she went with her son, seventh grader Hampton Haryadi, 12. 

She had brought her son, who has autism, on a train trip so he could experience an overnight train. He was excited to be on the train but confused about why they were in New York but not home, she said. 

Notoadisardjono, who works in a hotel overnight in Hampton Bays, wasn't sure whether she'd get a room for the night in the city or take the train — whenever it starts running again. 

"I’m just debating whether I should take a hotel or I should wait another 3 hours," she said around 3:30 p.m. 

Uptick in weather-related injuries, conditions

As Long Islanders emerge from their homes to dig out from the massive snowstorm, hospitals and emergency dispatchers are seeing an uptick in weather-related injuries and conditions.

At Stony Brook Hospital, the increase began in the early afternoon as the snow was beginning to taper off, said Dr. Peter McKenna, medical director of the emergency department.

“The biggest one and the most major thing that we see is an increase in the number of heart attacks right after a storm,” he said. “People go outside into the cold and they shovel heavy snow, and it's the most physical activity that they've done all year. And they kind of fail their own stress test.”

Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services saw a lull during the night, but starting in the morning, as residents began shoveling, there was an increase in calls for slips and falls, back injuries and chest pain, said Rudy Sunderman, commissioner of the agency, which handles dispatches for about three-quarters of the county’s volunteer fire department and emergency medical services agencies.

PSEG Long Island reports progress on restoring outages

PSEG Long Island was reporting 356 power outages by about 4:30 p.m. on Monday, with 10,468 customers affected.

Earlier Monday, outages had affected more than 40,000 customers, a representative for the utility told Newsday.

More than 800 PSEG workers have been pulling 16-hour shifts during the storm, including repair crews. Also, "more than 200 personnel we brought in from off the island are currently assessing damage," said a statement on the utility's website.

North Hempstead Town takes on snow removal with an army of plows

The Town of North Hempstead deployed a fleet of more than 80 plows to clear its roads starting Sunday night and into Monday, town spokesperson Umberto Mignardi said in an e-mailed statement.

Crews were responding to fallen trees in New Hyde Park and Roslyn, Mignardi said.

"Snow is being pushed back from intersections, crosswalks, and bus stops," he said in the statement. "Our public works team is monitoring conditions to prevent icing as temperatures drop tonight."

Town employees will lay a round of salt Monday night and again Tuesday morning, he said.

"Storms of [this] magnitude always require several days of follow-up cleaning, so we need the continued cooperation of residents," Jerry LoSquadro, the town’s highway superintendent, said in a statement.

Garbage pickup was canceled Monday but will resume Tuesday, Mignardi said. All parks are closed to the public.

A 30-hour journey home

Andrew Choi, Bethpage public schools’ technology director, was just finishing a nearly 30-hour journey Monday afternoon from Florida back to New York — involving a canceled flight, a bus that broke down and Amtrak — when he checked his phone to gameplan his final leg: the Long Island Rail Road ride home to Hicksville.

"Service Suspended," the MTA's TrainTime app said. It was another travel-related headache catalyzed by the snow for Choi, 41, who had gone down to see baseball spring training.
"I mean, it’s kind of like, when it rains, it pours, it seems, with trying to get back home," Choi said, looking with resignation at a screen at Penn Station listing suspensions on every branch, including his Huntington or Ronkonkoma. "It's frustrating, but at the very least, I'm here."

On Saturday, he was in Florida at a game, the same day he learned that JetBlue had canceled his scheduled return flight. Next available flight, Thursday. But he needed to return earlier than that, way earlier, so he planned an alternative route.

So on Sunday morning, he boarded a bus from Tampa to Orlando — which broke down and passengers had to switch buses; a two-hour ride took three hours. He got an Amtrak train Sunday afternoon; all the sleeper cars were sold out. The train was supposed to arrive at 10:30 a.m. but made unscheduled stops twice: in Philadelphia and Trenton. The train wound up arriving Monday afternoon.

Back at Penn Monday afternoon, he was planning to wait out the suspension at one of the open eateries. Hopefully, he said, it'll be just a few hours of waiting.

Latest on the scene in Nassau County

Blood donations lost to storm

The record-setting blizzard had a cascade of impacts, including blood donations.

For example, the New York Blood Center said they're projected to lose nearly 3,000 donations due cancellations over the course of the storm, significantly impacting the region's blood supply for the next week.

NYBC said it shut down early Sunday due to dangerous travel conditions, resulting in the loss of approximately 700 donations.

All blood drives and donor centers were closed Monday, with additional cancellations continuing into the week as schools, businesses and local partners focus on storm recovery, the group said.

NYBC, which expects its donor centers to reopen Tuesday, is asking eligible donors to visit a blood donor center as soon as it’s safe for them to travel again.

NYC schools will be in person on Tuesday

New York City schools are returning to in-person instruction on Tuesday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced.

Monday was a snow day for the city school system.

Students "can still pelt me with snowballs when you see me," Mamdani said at a weather briefing.

Smithtown urges patience

Smithtown has put 110 pieces of equipment on the roads, along with 120 workers, 30 to 40 of them private contractors, Smithtown public information officer Nicole Garguilo said.

Crews from the town’s Parks, Buildings & Grounds Department have been on since 7 p.m. Sunday and “will be working well into the night tonight” cleaning up the town’s LIRR stations, all town buildings and town-owned rentals until the job is completed, Garguilo said.

The town is urging patience while crews are at work. “This is an exceptional amount of snow. This will take time,” Garguilo said.

NICE bus service resumes on limited basis

NICE bus service is resuming on a limited basis in Nassau County.

These routes will operate every half hour: N6, N4, N22, N15, N70/72.

All other routes are going to operate hourly. Paratransit service is expected to resume on Tuesday morning.

The latest information can be found on the NICE GoMobile app.

Robke's stays open

While most restaurants stayed closed on Monday, Robke’s of Northport opened at 11:30 a.m., as it has done for decades.

Robke’s prides itself on staying open 365 days a year and partner Louis Selvaggio Jr. said that the last time they failed to do so was about 10 years ago.

“I remember a bad power outage on a Sunday night before we had a generator. Next day, generator purchased.” By noon, the dining room was beginning to fill up.

Nassau travel ban lifted

Nassau’s road travel ban was lifted as of 11 a.m., according to Chris Boyle, a county spokesman.

Suffolk has a travel ban in effect until 3 p.m.

SBU cancels Tuesday classes, SUNY Old Westbury to continue online instruction

Stony Brook University extended its cancellation of all in-person and remote classes and exams and all in-person activities to Tuesday.

In-person classes and exams “are not to be converted to a synchronous virtual format,” though instructors are allowed to offer limited supplemental materials online, the school said in a message posted online Monday. Students with clinical assignments “should refer to their school or program policy or contact their clinical coordinators with any questions or concerns.”

Stony Brook University Hospital and the Long Island State Veterans Home are operating on their usual schedules, the university said.

SUNY Old Westbury extended online instruction through Tuesday, school officials said Monday. Campus offices and other services will be available online, but the campus shuttle will not operate, according to the college’s website.

Snowfall breaks record (unofficially)

It's a (preliminary) record!

The National Weather Service recorded 29.1 inches of snow at 1 p.m. at Islip Airport, breaking the 27.8-inch record set in 2013.

However, weather service meteorologist Jim Connelly said, "for it to be official, there's going to be review at the local and regional level."

In Hempstead, a 4 a.m. snowplow break

There was a strategy for when to plow and when not to in the Town of Hempstead.

Town Supervisor John Ferretti said that while crews plowed for hours Sunday night into Monday, the town timed a state-mandated break for them at 4 a.m., “a time when the snow and the wind was at its worst, because we were fearful that we’d have to pull them off the road if there were whiteout conditions.”

“You try to look at the forecast and … you have that break at a time where strategically it makes sense,” Ferretti said.

The town also prepared for coastal flooding but only saw “minimal” issues, Ferretti said.

Like other officials Islandwide, he advised drivers to stay off the roads. “If people try to go out in this, unless they have a monster truck, you're almost certainly going to get stuck at some point,” Ferretti said.

Engagement travel plans foiled

David Tirado proposed to his girlfriend in Central Park this week. They went to the Empire State Building, the top of Rockefeller Center, Ellis Island and Chinatown.

They also went to Kennedy Airport Monday morning, hoping to return home to Spain and celebrate the engagement.

“We don’t have a hotel anymore,” Tirado said while waiting for a shuttle to Terminal 4. He said he was hoping to speak with an official at Delta to figure out where he can stay until his flight back. At Terminal 1, passengers had already been sent back from a closed terminal. “Tomorrow,” an employee said.

But a bus full of heavily bundled travelers with suitcases treading through snow slush filled a shuttle to Terminal 4 around 12:30 p.m. on Monday. They were headed to the typically busiest of terminals at the international airport. “No flights,” one person said as he got off the shuttle before others boarded. “You're wasting your time.”

Tirado said he received an email from Delta alerting him of his canceled flight and the options to rebook a new departure. He said he had no other information other than that about the status of his flight.

The lack of communication raised questions for commuters about the limited information provided by the Port Authority at the airport as they spent long periods in the cold waiting to go to the terminals through shuttles that were generally coming every half hour.

LIRR aims for Tuesday service, though it may be limited

The Long Island Rail Road, which has been shut down since Sunday night, aims to be up and running by Tuesday morning, but how much service it will be able to offer remains to be seen, the LIRR’s president said Tuesday morning.

In an interview with Newsday, LIRR President Robert Free said even with 1,800 employees deployed, systemwide issues still remain, including vehicles stuck on tracks, a downed tree and wires east of Great Neck, and third rail electrical connectivity problems in Lynbrook and Farmingdale.

For all the LIRR’s efforts at clearing its tracks, "the wind just blows the snow right back on it," Free said. "I’ve been here 34 years, and this is one of the worst storms that I’ve seen."

After the strong winds and snow subside, Free said LIRR officials will assess the condition of the system and come up with a restoration plan that will prioritize branches with the highest ridership.

"The goal is to provide service tomorrow. To what level? I don’t know. It’s still too early," Free said. "We want to provide as much service as we can, but we want to do it safely."

Warmer temps, heavier snow

A word of advice to anyone shoveling today: It’s not that cold — temperatures were in the low 30s by early afternoon — but that’s not necessarily a good thing.

“Colder snow is fluffier — it piles up more. …Wetter, warmer snow is heavier,” said Hofstra University’s Jase Bernhardt, assistant professor in the geology, environment and sustainability department. “It’s harder to shovel, harder to plow.”

Besides added strain on your muscles, heavier snow means more load on trees and power lines. We’re already seeing some impact on power outages: About 10,000 Long Islanders were without power at 12:30 p.m., according to the poweroutage.us website.

Halesite digs out, some businesses open

A light snow continued to fall in Halesite late Monday morning, while some streets had already been plowed down to the pavement. Slippery conditions and large snow piles in front of residential homes have remained.

Some homeowners around the area started shoveling Sunday around 9 p.m. Other residents used snowblowers in their driveways late Monday morning — and streets were silent besides the whirring sound of their equipment.

Some Halesite businesses that remained in operation during the last snowstorm, like Junior's Pizza and the restaurant TK's Galley, are also open today.

Bracing for ER visits

Hospitals are bracing for an increase in emergency department visits once the snow tapers off and residents start digging out.

Tonight and tomorrow, “when people go back to their routines, we’ll see a lot more patients,” said Dr. Frederick Davis, executive vice chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park.

Long Island Jewish already has seen a few slip and falls, with wrist and knee injuries, he said. As more cars go back on the road, Davis expects to see some car accident injuries, as well as people complaining of chest pains after shoveling. The hospital typically sees only a heart attack or two each snow season, but the chest pains may be a sign of narrowing arteries that could eventually lead to a heart attack, he said. The emergency department also typically sees an increase in cases like people with kidney disease with complications because the snow prevented them from getting to their dialysis appointments, he said.

Some doctors and nurses stayed at the hospital overnight on cots and blow-up mattresses, to make sure they were able to be at the hospital in the morning, although staff who didn’t do so have been able to get to the hospital, Davis said. They are exempt from the counties’ bans on vehicles.

Travelers to JFK Airport turned away

Travelers arriving to Terminal 1 at Kennedy Airport with luggage were turned away from entering as they were told it's closed and to come back tomorrow.

The information left the foreign travelers agitated, having waited outside in the snow to take a shuttle to the terminal only to be immediately turned away. The shuttle driver — who would have to get out of the bus and move a fallen road sign to be able to clear the way — was surprised to learn that the terminal was closed until tomorrow. Language barriers persisted, with Google Translate being used to share next steps, a shuttle back and to get a hotel.

No information about a closed Kennedy Airport was provided at Jamaica Station, where many travelers are taking a shuttle to the airport's Federal Circle and then another shuttle to their relevant terminal.

It’s unclear where the communication breakdown between the MTA and the Port Authority occurred, but it has left travelers frustrated, cold and without any cohesive or official information.

A blizzard to remember

“The Blizzard of ‘26 will be remembered in meteorology circles,” said Jase Bernhardt, assistant professor in the Department of the Geology, Environment and Sustainability at Hofstra University.

“It’s a good guess we’re going to get into the upper 20 (inches), and maybe Islip is going to make a run at the lower 30s. This is going to be the number one storm for Islip.”
Some context: meteorologists often use airports as official observation stations, because aviation tends to yield strong, long-term historical data, Bernhardt said. In Islip’s case, the data only goes back to 1963.

Observations have been taken at JFK and LaGuardia Airports going back to the 1940s, and at Central Park, in Manhattan, since 1869. The record there is 27.5 inches, set January 22-24, 2016. The National Weather Service recorded a total of 15.1 inches by 7 a.m. Monday morning.

Storm spawned from 'sweet spot'

Beware the 40/70.The Blizzard of ‘26, like many storms that have made for heavy snowfall across the Northeast United States, hit what’s known at the “70/40 benchmark,” Bernhardt said.

That’s 40 degrees north latitude and 70 degrees west longitude, geographical coordinates a spot over the Atlantic Ocean: “That’s the sweet spot. Say it tracks 50 miles south and east (of that), that means the heaviest snow shifts farther away.

"If it tracks closer, often times, it’s bringing in warm air closer to the center (of the storm), and if it tracks too close, it might yield heavy precipitation, but it’s going to be too warm for all snow. 40/70 is Goldilocks, just the right spot to get us into heaviest precipitation, but not too close to worry about warm air moving in.”

More than 2 feet of snow recorded in parts of Suffolk

Many parts of Long Island have been buried in over 2 feet of snow, according to the latest snowfall totals from the National Weather Service.

So far, Remsenburg-Speonk has recorded 27.5 inches, followed by 27.2 in North Patchogue and 27 in Central Islip. Quogue recorded 26 inches, and Shinnecock Hills hit 24.8.

So far, 22.5 inches were recorded at MacArthur Airport in Islip, a major reporting site. The all-time record there of 27.5 was set in 2013.

"That record is potentially in jeopardy,” said meteorologist James Tomasini. “A very strong nor’easter is passing just offshore. … We are kind of in the sweet spot for where heavy banding is setting up.”

The next snowfall update will be at 1 p.m., Tomasini said.

Suffolk extends travel ban

Suffolk County has extended its travel ban until 3 p.m. Monday, County Executive Edward P. Romaine announced.

Romaine sees compliance with Suffolk travel ban

Residents in Suffolk County are largely honoring the travel ban imposed by County Executive Ed Romaine on Sunday, police said. Suffolk officers have not had to rescue stranded motorists. There were four active crashes reported by late morning, less than normal for a typical Monday.

It was not clear late Monday morning if Suffolk police had issued any tickets related to travel ban violations.

Romaine issued the travel ban on Sunday but has extended it to 3 p.m. Monday.

“It’s never an easy decision,” Romaine said in a statement. “However, safety is the number one concern and it was important for us to keep the roads clear for our plows and, of course, for everybody’s safety.”

Rescuing stuck vehicles

Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico urged residents to stay home after officials said they had to rescue several essential workers stuck in the snow Monday morning.

“Please stay home. Plows from every level of government have been working through the night and will continue for days,” Panico said in a Facebook post. “The roads are extremely easy to get stuck on, even with four-wheel drive. Suffolk County has been rescuing essential workers stuck in vehicles this morning.”

Panico said the worst roads were near farms and open spaces.

“We just had to send a payloader to areas in Yaphank where the drifts were close to five feet,” Panico said. “You can very easily get stuck at an intersection or end up off the road trying to navigate with extremely limited visibility and be stuck in your car for hours.”

Clear fire hydrants, officials urge

Several Long Island fire departments are urging residents to clear fire hydrants buried in snow.

Fire officials said fire hydrants should be cleared in a 3-foot radius in each direction to allow firefighters access to use hose hookups when responding to fires.

Long Island firefighters have responded to more than two dozen house fires in recent weeks, including two fatalities. In several cases, firefighters said they encountered hydrants buried in snow and ice.

Some fire departments, including Huntington and Huntington Manor, were holding contests, urging residents who cleared hydrants to submit photos to their Facebook pages.
 

More snow forecast this week; weekend clearing expected

The blizzard that has dumped nearly two feet of snow in places and battered Long Island with hurricane-force winds could bring more snow before it's finished Monday, the National Weather Service said.

And there is snow in the forecast beginning Wednesday and Thursday,

The weather service said sunshine and temperatures around freezing are expected Tuesday, allowing for a day to clear out some of the snow.

Read more here

Don't take chances, LI doctor advises

You can suffer a heart attack while shoveling snow, so don’t take any chances, said Dr. John Mathew, associate chief medical officer at Catholic Health’s St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bethpage.

“Cold weather constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure,” he said. “When you combine that with sudden heavy exertion, especially in people with underlying heart disease, it can trigger a cardiac event.”

He said anyone who feels chest pressure, shortness of breath or unusual fatigue should call 911.

Another common storm-related injury is falls on the ice that can lead to hip fractures and head injuries. Older adults and patients on blood thinners are at a higher risk. “If you hit your head and you’re on a blood thinner, you should get evaluated, even if you feel okay,” Mathew said.

Essential worker stranded in vehicle for four hours

Luke Gregory, 40, left his home in Centereach at 4:30 a.m. to reach his job as an essential worker in Patchogue, where he was scheduled to begin at 5:30 a.m.

He traveled about 6 miles before the conditions overwhelmed his Nissan Rogue and he became stranded in the southbound portion of County Road 97 near Portion Road. He called 911 but said he was told visibility was too poor for first responders to reach him.

“It’s ridiculous out here,” he told Newsday in a Facebook message Monday morning.

Gregory remained stranded for about four hours before a friend was able to reach him.

“Plows looked like they never touched the roads but that’s how aggressive the storm was,” he wrote.

He said he had no choice but to leave his SUV behind as the snow continued to fall.

Little traffic on NYC streets

The New York City travel ban, along with the closing of schools, has apparently had an impact, according to the NYPD. Police had to only respond to 15 requests for towing, compared with 52 during the last storm. Most of the tows have been for private ambulances, an NYPD spokesman said.

There have been no major reports of coastal flooding.

In terms of power outages, the biggest was reported in the Far Rockaway, area which had 11,705 customers with lost power earlier on Monday, a number that is expected to decrease as the day goes on and crews make repairs. The department didn't have absentee figures but noted that officers are out on the street

Record-breaking snowfall possible

The area is experiencing possibly record-breaking snowfall. By 6 a.m., 20 inches of had been recorded at Islip Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The all-time record for a single weather event is 27.8 inches, set during a blizzard on Feb. 8 and 9, 2013.

Record-breaking or not, this storm has displayed staggering power: gusts of 84 mph at Suffolk’s Montauk Point, 59 mph in Nassau County’s Bayville.

The “good news,” such as it is, is that the air mass is “not exceptionally cold with highs around freezing for most locations,” according to the weather service forecast discussion, with wind chill values in the teens to around 20 degrees.

Some malls to open at 1 p.m.

Roosevelt Field in Uniondale, Smith Haven Mall in Smithtown, and Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station announced they would have a delayed opening, at 1 p.m., according to the Simon Malls website.

The company said it is “monitoring the weather and will provide updates as conditions warrant.”

Woodbury Commons, also owned by Simon Malls, is closed due to weather conditions, the website said.

Smith Haven Mall had closed at 5 p.m. Sunday, according to a social media post.

Tanger Outlets at both Deer Park and Riverhead announced on their websites they will be closed on Monday due to the weather.

Nassau bus restart pushed back again

The reopening of Nassau Inter-County Express bus has been pushed back until at least 2 p.m., according to spokesman Mark Smith.

NICE suspended service at 9 p.m. yesterday, and was earlier expected to reopen at noon Monday. Another update will be provided at 2 p.m., Smith said.

The bus service, which is coordinated by the Nassau County government and operated by the company Transdev, said to "plan for and expect extreme delays as road clean up begins" on Tuesday as well.

Hempstead aims to clear roads by Tuesday morning

Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti told Newsday that plows are working to get residents back onto roads on Tuesday.

"But for today, stay home," he added. "We're asking residents to please continue to cooperate" with the county's travel ban.

About 150 trucks are plowing nearly 1,200 miles of town roads in Hempstead, he said, noting that local roads are often curvier and have more cars parked on them than state-owned thoroughfares — making them more difficult to plow.

"We have our challenges, but we're up to the task, and we will get everybody out to work Tuesday morning," he said, thanking town employees.

MTA sets fire to LIRR tracks

Jamaica Station is largely a deserted winter wonderland this morning. No trains are running for public use.

A Long Island Rail Road train sits at the station, ice creating a border on top of the cars. A couple of crew members shovel the platforms. Certain tracks are on fire — as the MTA likely seeks to melt any ice forming on the track.

Inside, a handful of people collect to warm up or try to charge their phones. Pigeons are also inside, apparently huddling for warmth. And the Tim Hortons coffee shop inside the station is open, still serving its signature maple dip donuts.

Signage is limited when a passenger gets off the subway and seeks to take the AirTrain to Kennedy Airport. A few signs tell people to take a shuttle outside instead. The signs are in English and at least one set of travelers is puzzled by the information. Two employees at the entrance of the AirTrain try to tell them where to go, but the travelers appear to only pick up on it through hand motions.

Pace yourself, LI doctor says

Dr. John Mathew, of Catholic Health’s St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage, said that during blizzards, emergency rooms see a surge in “very preventable injuries.”

“The common theme is overexertion, cold exposure and poor preparation,” he said in an email.

Mathew said snow removal is one of the most physically demanding things people do all year. It can lead to back sprains, shoulder injuries, wrist fractures and heart attacks.

“Your driveway is not worth your life,” Mathew said.

Smithtown supe: Residential streets may not be cleared until Tuesday afternoon

Busy town roads in Smithtown will be cleared by tonight, but some residential streets may not be clear until tomorrow afternoon, Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim told NewsdayTV.

"By tomorrow afternoon, we should have a pretty good handle on having a lot of the residential community streets at least open and passable," he said, adding the town has plenty of salt, sand and employees to deal with the situation.

Town plows took a break from about 4 to 6 a.m. because of low visibility. They will work to open up any residential streets in cases of emergency, he said: "The public can call our public safety department, or 911, and certainly we will have staff respond there."

Parts of Smithtown are experiencing snow drifts up to 5 or 6 feet — conditions Wehrheim said he hadn't seen since the 1980s.

"Please stay home. Don't go out. Leave the roads open for emergencies," he urged.

Perfect storm challenging new heating systems

Over the past decade, tens of thousands of Long Islanders have taken advantage of generous rebates and tax credits to install heat pump heating and cooling systems, which use ambient air or steady underground temperatures to provide efficient heating and cooling.

But the systems are put to the test in cold weather, especially if extremely low temperatures are accompanied by heavy, drifting snow. The current blizzard is creating a perfect storm for the units, causing snow to pile up in ways few have seen since installing new generations of heat pumps in the past five years.

PSEG spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler noted heat pumps generally “work best with a clear space around and above the outdoor unit.” The utility advised that customers “clear snow from top and sides of the unit, including the base to allow for proper drainage during defrost cycle.”

She also advised customers to follow any instructions from manufacturers or installers about their particular systems.

Clearing may involve several trips out to the units as waves of new snow and wind can cause snow to pile up again, even over the course of an hour.

Hochul: 'A high impact, extraordinary, rare' storm for LI

Gov. Kathy Hochul went on several TV news and radio stations Monday morning, urging people to stay home and praising essential workers.

“I’m from Buffalo, I’ve seen it all,” she said during an interview on News 12. Hochul said she believed most people were following the travel bans and staying off the roads.

“This is a high impact, extraordinary, rare storm for Long Island,” she said. “I'm very aware of what that feels like when you're just watching the snow pile up and pile up and you can’t even open your front door.”

Hochul also warned people about the health risks of rushing to clear the snow.

Safety, she said, is also paramount for utility workers, and people need to show patience.

“If the winds are kicking up 50, 60 mph., we're not sending people up on power lines,” Hochul said. "They are sitting there ready to go."

More than 15,000 PSEG customers without power

PSEG spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler said the Long Island grid is “performing well” through the blizzard, though “challenges” remain in restoring outages through high winds and whiteout snow and high drifts.

The utility has restored power to over 13,000 customers since Sunday afternoon but more than 15,000 remained out as of 9:30 am, and it's unclear how soon those can be restored.

Flagler said high snowfall and poor travel conditions have led to some restoration vehicles getting stuck in the snow and added, “We are working to overcome these challenges.”

“Crews continue to respond safely and as quickly as possible,” she said in an email. “For safety reasons, field crews at times may be unable to make repairs during periods of high winds. As soon as the winds subside to safe levels, we will immediately focus on customer restoration.”

Spokeswoman Katy Tatzel told NewsdayTV the company has “crews on the ground that are going to restore power whenever it is safe to do so.”

A PSEG worker who wasn’t authorized to speak for the company told Newsday some crews in trucks have been hampered by uncleared roadways and drifts, and at least one needed to get towed out of a drift.

Snow drifts up to 3 feet high in Suffolk

In Nissequogue, Village Mayor Richard Smith said the storm started to "turn really, really bad" between 3 and 5 a.m.
As of 9 a.m., nearly all roads — including two of the village’s major roadways, Moriches and Long Beach roads — remain open with plow trucks from the Town of Smithtown working in the early morning hours to clear roadways. However, River Road is closed due to the snow drifting off the Nissequogue River, Smith said. In some areas, snow drifts have reached as high as 3 feet, according to Smith. So far, no flooding issues have been reported in the village.

However, Smith said, “I would strongly encourage everyone to stay home, obviously with the travel ban being extended. This is a good day to put the coffeepot on, do some light reading, spend time with family and catch up on the news.”

The village’s fire department at 7:30 a.m. also responded to an emergency call at a home near River Road, where an unidentified woman was reported to be “in great distress,” according to Smith. Despite the weather, emergency crews arrived in time to get the patient evaluated and then transported to a hospital. Smith commended village volunteer crews, some of whom slept at the fire department overnight, for their quick response and efforts.

“Preparation and communication is everything. The critical thing is to keep everyone safe,” Smith said. “This snow will disappear but we have to make sure if there’s an emergency call that we can respond, and critical to that is keeping the roads open, and we are working closely with the Town of Smithtown, and they’ve been doing a good job keeping the roads open.”

Huntington supervisor: Hire kids to shovel

During what appeared to be a slight lull in the storm, Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said practical advice bears repeating: “Stay home,” he said. “If it’s not absolutely necessary, wait a few more hours and follow the county state of emergency, which has been extended until 12 noon.”

He said crews from the highway department, general services, maritime, environmental waste and even the Dix Hills Water District have been out all night and morning clearing roads.

“As a practical matter, don’t shovel your snow into the roadway; that’s not helpful,” he said. And he advised residents to keep from parking on roads. “I say this all the time: Park it in your driveway, your neighbor’s driveway if you can. … Keep cars off the road so we can plow curb-to-curb.”

He said to be careful shoveling. “It is heavy snow and it’s not something to be done lightly,” he said. “Hire the kids in the neighborhood — that’s money well spent. … Otherwise If you can get a professional in, do that also. Certainly if you have to do it yourself, take it very, very slowly.”

East Hampton travel ban extended

The Town of East Hampton extended its travel ban on roads until 9 p.m. Monday as the storm continued to worsen, with snow falling and high winds.

Town officials said no parking was allowed on town roads and any vehicles were subject to being towed to allow snowplows to clear the roads.

Non-essential travel was not allowed, although essential workers were exempt.

Town officials urged residents to stay home until roads were cleared and near-whiteout conditions improved.

No ferry service

Both the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Steamboat Company and the Cross Sound Ferry at Orient Point canceled all ferry service on Monday due to weather conditions, the companies said on their websites.

The Cross Sound Ferry had also canceled its evening Sunday night ferry service.

AAA: Could be days before clear roads

AAA is anticipating a "minimal number of calls" as long as travel bans remain in effect on Long Island today, spokesman Robert Sinclair told NewsdayTV.

"Stay home. Even after the bans are lifted, it might take … days to get all the roads cleared," he said.

Anyone who does start their car should make sure to clear the exhaust pipe of snow to prevent fumes from backing up. Last month in Queens, a veterinarian and a dog were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning after a snow pile may have blocked the mobile clinic's exhaust.

When travel bans are lifted, AAA recommends carrying a fully charged mobile phone and an emergency kit in one's car, including blankets, extra clothing, non-perishable food, water, medication and basic tools. It's also important to clear ice and snow off one's vehicle before driving.

"And if you are out on the road, it's important to realize that posted speed limits are for ideal conditions," Sinclair said. Y"ou have to keep your speed down. We're seeing an epidemic of aggressive driving these days."

All is quiet in Sayville

Many businesses along Main Street in Sayville that normally open around 6 a.m., such as bagel shops and restaurants, were closed as of just before 8 a.m. on Monday.

Plow trucks worked to clear the parking lot of a strip mall anchored by a Stop & Shop.

On Montauk Avenue, heavy winds impaired visibility, with the road traversed by the occasional truck.

Along Railroad and Gillette avenues, businesses ranging from tech repair stores to yoga studios, skin care salons, restaurants, dry cleaners and pizzerias were closed, with not a single person in sight, as snowplows continued to work through the heavy winds.

LIers stranded amid canceled flights

Some families couldn’t make it back from midwinter break vacations after their flights got cancelled.

“We're stuck in Florida right now,” said Scott Boudin, 50, the morning show producer for "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show."

Boudin, who lives in Old Bethpage, was returning from a Caribbean cruise with his two daughters, age 14 and 18, along with Boudin’s girlfriend and her 8-year-old, when they found out their flight back to New York on Sunday had been cancelled.

His 14-year-old attends ninth grade in the Plainview-Old Bethpage school district, which cancelled all activities Monday.

“She’s ecstatic,” Boudin said in a phone interview from a hotel balcony in Jacksonville, Florida. “Kids love it because, you know, a couple extra days of no school.”

But, he said, “I love being in New York when it's snowing, so I kind of feel like I'm missing out.”

Besides, he said, Jacksonville’s temperature was 38 on Monday morning, and since he can’t work remotely, his radio show colleagues were scrambling to cover for him.

“I wanted to rent a car to drive back up to New York, but there were no car rentals to be had,” he said. “The only flight I was able to put back was out of Jacksonville for Wednesday morning, so we are keeping our fingers crossed that that does not get canceled as well.”

Riverhead travel banned through 6 p.m.

In Riverhead, non-essential travel is banned through 6 p.m. today, Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin told NewsdayTV.

"Our main roads are [the highway department's] focus right now. They're assisting our emergency management services … and fire and police," he said.

Elsewhere in Suffolk County, a countywide travel ban is in effect until noon.

Halpin said that Town Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski told him the storm was "the biggest storm he'd seen" in 30 years of service, with the worst conditions on roads north of Route 25.

"If you're going to shovel, take your time. If you're going to clear your hydrant, take your time, but stay inside," Halpin said.

All Riverhead Town offices are closed Monday.

'Nowhere to go,' N. Hempstead supe says

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena urged residents to remain at home and be patient as town staff continue plowing operations.

"All hands are on deck out plowing" she told Newsday TV at around 7:30 a.m., thanking her staff and volunteer firefighters. "Even the highways are not in good shape, so there's really nowhere to go. … This is a 'stay off the road all day' situation."

A ban on non-essential travel remains in effect for Nassau County through at least 11 a.m.

She asked residents who shovel their driveways not to place snow back in the street, and thanked those who had moved their cars to make way for plows.

"I went out personally and asked some of my neighbors to park their cars on their grass last night, and they did it," she said.

Weathering the storm with a hair dryer

Michael Clemons, 57, stood outside in the storm Monday morning with a battery-operated hair dryer to keep warm.

He said he had to leave the shelter at the Family Service League on Park Avenue in Huntington “to stay out of trouble.” He said he has been out in the storm since 6:30 a.m. because “there are too many knuckleheads" there.

He said he’s been sober for seven years, partly thanks to the hair dryer.

'Worst storm I've seen since 2016'

Even the snowplows are struggling to navigate Long Island's snow-covered roads Monday.

Snowplow driver Jose Cesanto, of Donno’s Landscaping, got stuck on Park Avenue, a main thoroughfare in Huntington. He said it was the third time he got stuck this morning, because the snow is so wet.

“It’s the worst storm I’ve seen since 2016,” said another snowplow operator, Kevin Mancia.

Mancia, 27, said he started plowing for the Huntington Highway Department at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Official: 122 crashes reported in Suffolk since storm started

Suffolk police reported 122 accidents since the beginning of the storm, with EMS responding to 41 people injured, Suffolk County spokesperson Michael Martino told Newsday early Monday.

Earlier Monday, Nassau County police said 73 crashes had been reported since 9 a.m. Sunday.

Long Island officials were urging residents to stay off the roads, with travel bans in effect.

“Heavy snow is still falling. Stay off the roads and don't put firefighters and emergency workers in a dangerous situation having to come rescue you,” the Nassau fire marshal said in a posting Monday morning. “Only essential workers are permitted on roads in Nassau. We've still got a few more hours of snowfall and heavy winds.”

Newsday’s John Asbury contributed to this story.

Long Island records wind gusts up to 84 mph

Wind gusts were clocked at 84 mph in Montauk Point early this morning, according to updated information by the National Weather Service. Winds of 74 mph were recorded in Stony Brook and 69 in Southold.

In Nassau County, the highest winds were reported in Bayville at 59 mph, with 49 mph in Wantagh and Uniondale.

While this storm is not classified as a hurricane, those wind gusts are up there with a Category 1 —between 74 and 95 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Nearly 2 feet of snow on LI, and more is coming

Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma reported nearly 23 inches of snow as of 7 a.m., with more than 18 inches of snow reported in Brookhaven, according to the National Weather Service.

And more snow is expected throughout the afternoon.

You can see unofficial estimates here. The timing of certain estimates vary by community, so there could be some small discrepancies.

MTA: LIRR service may not be restored until Tuesday

LIRR service may not be restored until later Monday or even Tuesday, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber said during an appearance on PIX11 News Monday morning.

Lieber said the MTA is eyeing a restoration of LIRR service “later today or into tomorrow,” and defended the decision to shut down the largest commuter railroad in North America.

“We did the right thing. … Everybody knows on Long Island, especially out East, that this is no day to be moving around. They’re really taking a heavy hit,” Lieber said.

Lieber said MTA officials will decide on a plan to restore railroad service later Monday, and that the priority is to “make sure we can operate real service” by Tuesday.

Appearing on several morning news shows Monday, Lieber said the MTA is waiting for winds to die down before restoring LIRR service, which shut down at 1 a.m. today.

Lieber acknowledged that the Long Island Rail Road has been hit harder than other MTA agencies, including New York City subways, buses, and the Metro-North Railroad, all of which continue to operate while the LIRR remains suspended.

"We'll be looking at a restoration when those winds die down," Lieber said on WCBS-TV/2 News around 6:50 a.m.

“The conditions on the Island … are among the direct of the region, especially the winds,” Lieber told WNBC 4. “So we want to see when the winds die down, make sure that the drifting is under control before we make an exact determination about when to restore the Long Island Rail Road, but the planning for that has begun.”

At the risk of stranding trains with passengers on board in the middle of the storm, the LIRR on Sunday afternoon announced a preemptive shutdown of the rail system—a measure not taken in four years.

Even with no trains running, Lieber said LIRR crews and snow fighting equipment operated through the night “working hard on the interlockings to make sure everything is going to in shape when the go time comes.”

Lieber added that the MTA's Metro-North Railroad is operating on an hourly schedule, and buses are running in the city with delays. The subway system is largely operating normally, with a few express lines running on a local schedule.

"Tip of the hat to the Long Island Rail Road for folks who did an orderly shutdown at 1 a.m. and are already starting to plan the resumption of service," Lieber said earlier on WABC-TV/7.

Newsday's Peter Gill contributed to this story

Open for business in Huntington, but few customers

Abhi Patel said he drove to work this morning at Teresa’s Lunch Box on Park Avenue in Huntington and that it took him twice as long as it usually does.

Not many customers have come in so far, he said.

Actual snow day thrills some

For many children, the news that there would be no remote school was a thrill, opening up the day for playing in the snow and drinking hot chocolate.

“My child is happy because he gets to play outside,” Sara Fahrenholz, 48, who lives in Plainview, said in a text message early Monday morning, while some family members were still sleeping. “I say, let kids be kids, enjoy the snow day!”

Her 8-year-old son, she said, “plans to play in the snow, build a snowman or maybe just a snowball fight.”

Nassau bus service suspended at least until noon

NICE buses will not be operating until at least noon, according to spokesman Mark Smith.

The start time may get pushed out into late afternoon, with limited service depending on which roads have been plowed, he said.

Officials "will assess further this morning," Smith told Newsday, adding that more information may be available after 10 a.m.

Previously, NICE had suspended service until 9 a.m.

Suffolk County Transit and Huntington HART buses are suspended all day today. In more transit-dependent New York City, MTA buses are operating on delays today — they are exempt from a travel ban on most other vehicles.

SUNY Old Westbury goes online today

SUNY Old Westbury announced it was moving to online instruction on Monday. Campus offices and other services will be available online, and the food hall will be open from 10:30 a.m. until 7 p.m., but the campus shuttle will not operate, according to the university's website.

"University offices and staff are prepared to serve our students and community in a remote status," school officials wrote. "If you require assistance or action, please contact the appropriate department or team member via phone or email."

St. Joseph’s University said its Patchogue and Brooklyn campuses would also shift to remote learning on Monday due to the storm.

7-Eleven remains open

Aryan Paul, 22, said he slept overnight at the 7-Eleven at Park Avenue and Broadway in Huntington Station. Only a few customers have come in since the store opened at 4 a.m., and those were people driving trucks, he said.

"I'm dedicated to work," he said.

A couple of men who walked in to buy coffee said they weren't essential workers, but that they had to go to work today. They declined to give their names.

Stony Brook cancels classes

Stony Brook University cancelled all in-person and remote classes and exams and all in-person activities on Monday.

In-person classes and exams “are not to be converted to a synchronous virtual format,” though instructors are allowed to offer limited supplemental materials online, the school said in a message on its website. Students with clinical assignments “should refer to their school or program policy or contact their clinical coordinators with any questions or concerns.”

The governor is the only person who can close state campuses, and she has not ordered the school to close, university officials said. Essential personnel “should report to work,” and non-essential employees should work remotely, officials said.

Stony Brook University Hospital and the Long Island State Veterans Home are operating on their usual schedules, the university said.

Roads and sidewalks impassable in Sayville

In Sayville, more than a foot of snow fell, covering sidewalks and roadways on Hiddink and Main streets, as well as surrounding neighborhoods.

The sidewalks and roads appeared impassable as the storm continued, snowing in cars parked along Hiddink Street, and in the backlot of nearby apartment complexes.

The roads were mostly quiet around 7:15 a.m. with the exception of a lone white truck driving down the street.

Power outages spread across LI

More than 17,000 PSEG customers are coping with power outages Monday morning that spread from Montauk to Hempstead.

As of 7:20 a.m., there were 276 active outages, according to PSEG's online map.

PSEG early Monday said, “The major winter storm has arrived as predicted, with heavy snowfall overnight and strong, potentially hazardous winds continuing throughout much of today.”

The outages this morning extend literally to the tip of Long Island. PSEG maps show Montauk State Park is without power at 6:53 am, as are points west such as Great Neck Estates. Spokespeople for the utility haven't responded to requests for comment.
Information about what to do if your power is out can be found here.

LI schools get old-fashioned snow days

Many Long Island school districts declared a traditional snow day Monday, with no online classes due to the blizzard.

The region’s largest school district, Brentwood, posted a message on its website Sunday, notifying the families of its roughly 18,000 students that there would be no remote instruction.

Wanda Ortiz-Rivera, superintendent of the district, cited Gov. Kathy Hochul’s declaration of a snow day as well as guidance from the state Department of Education.

“While we had initially planned for a remote instructional day, the updated state guidance provides districts with flexibility in response to this severe winter storm,” Ortiz-Rivera wrote. “After careful consideration, we believe observing a traditional snow day is the most appropriate course of action for our community.”

She wrote, “I understand that changes like this may require adjustments for families, and I sincerely appreciate your understanding and partnership. Please take this time to stay safe, stay warm, and take care of one another.”

New York City public schools also are on a traditional snow day.

MTA: LIRR service may not be restored until Tuesday

LIRR service may not be restored until later Monday or even Tuesday, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber said during an appearance on PIX11 News Monday morning.

Lieber said the MTA is eyeing a restoration of LIRR service “later today or into tomorrow,” and defended the decision to shut down the largest commuter railroad in North America.

“We did the right thing. … Everybody knows on Long Island, especially out East, that this is no day to be moving around. They’re really taking a heavy hit,” Lieber said.

Lieber said MTA officials will decide on a plan to restore railroad service later Monday, and that the priority is to “make sure we can operate real service” by Tuesday.

Appearing on several morning news shows Monday, Lieber said the MTA is waiting for winds to die down before restoring LIRR service, which shut down at 1 a.m. today.

Lieber acknowledged that the Long Island Rail Road has been hit harder than other MTA agencies, including New York City subways, buses, and the Metro-North Railroad, all of which continue to operate while the LIRR remains suspended.

"We'll be looking at a restoration when those winds die down," Lieber said on WCBS-TV/2 News around 6:50 a.m.

“The conditions on the Island … are among the direct of the region, especially the winds,” Lieber told WNBC 4. “So we want to see when the winds die down, make sure that the drifting is under control before we make an exact determination about when to restore the Long Island Rail Road, but the planning for that has begun.”

At the risk of stranding trains with passengers on board in the middle of the storm, the LIRR on Sunday afternoon announced a preemptive shutdown of the rail system—a measure not taken in four years.

Even with no trains running, Lieber said LIRR crews and snow fighting equipment operated through the night “working hard on the interlockings to make sure everything is going to in shape when the go time comes.”

Lieber added that the MTA's Metro-North Railroad is operating on an hourly schedule, and buses are running in the city with delays. The subway system is largely operating normally, with a few express lines running on a local schedule.

"Tip of the hat to the Long Island Rail Road for folks who did an orderly shutdown at 1 a.m. and are already starting to plan the resumption of service," Lieber said earlier on WABC-TV/7.

Newsday's Peter Gill contributed to this story

They call it 'blizzardcane'

In a weather update issued at 5:27 a.m., the National Weather Service said a band of very heavy snow will "likely persist another 2 to 3 hours across the area with snowfall rates of 2 to possible 3 inches per hour."

“This combined with northerly wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph will produce blizzard conditions, making travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening.”

Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer said department of public works veterans are calling it a “blizzardcane.”

“They've never seen anything like this, and a lot of them have been plowing for as much as 30 years,” Schaffer told Newsday TV early this morning. “This is probably gonna go down as one of the top five storms that our region has seen, just, to put it in historical context, and I can tell you that we're expecting probably upwards of 2 feet.”

Schaffer said people should stay off the roads all day unless they are an essential worker, so crews can start clearing the roads.

“This cleanup is going to take us through to the weekend,” he said. “We're looking forward to those 40 [-degree temperatures] and snow melt, as we get into Saturday and Sunday, but people need to be patient.”

Plows struggle to keep up with snow in Suffolk

Heavy snow continued to blanket parts of Suffolk Monday, with howling winds making travel impossible.

Snowplows had stopped trying to keep up with the snow Monday morning in Huntington, with some residential streets still untouched since plowing began late Sunday night into early Monday.

Previous efforts to plow left snowdrifts more than 2 feet high, but the work was for naught after the streets were buried again. The snow-covered streets included those leading to schools, where classes in the Huntington and South Huntington school districts were canceled for the day.

The roads around Eastport were blanketed in 6 inches or more of snow, with the white stuff coming down so fast that plow work is undone in an hour. A pickup truck driving down Eastport-Manor Road had to barrel through the snow, using speed and momentum to avoid getting stuck in the deep drifts.

Newsday's Mark Harrington contributed to this story.  

Nassau, Suffolk extend travel ban

County Executive Bruce Blakeman extended Nassau County's travel ban until 11 a.m. on Monday, according to spokesman Chris Boyle.

Vehicles are not allowed on public roadways except for "all emergency vehicles, as well as those operated by municipal workers, doctors, nurses, hospital workers, and other essential personnel."

Suffolk County has extended its travel ban until noon today, with the possibility of another extension, depending on the storm's evolution, said Suffolk County spokesman Michael Martino.

New York City’s travel ban is in effect until noon.

What this means is noteworthy: With service on the Long Island Rail Road suspended, and a travel ban in place for all but essential workers and first responders. there is no way for Long Island commuters to legally get into Manhattan during Monday’s rush hour.

Snow falling 3 inches per hour

In a post on X, The National Weather Service said the snow was falling at a rate of 3 inches per hour between 4. and 5 a.m. in a "large heavy band over eastern Long Island."

"Our snowfall total stands at 14.9 as of 5 a.m. Heavy snow still falling," the post said.

A coastal flood advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for southwest Suffolk County and southern Nassau, the NWS said.

Nearly all flights at major airports canceled, bus and LIRR service remains suspended

As of around 5:30 a.m., nearly all of today's scheduled flights into and out of Long Island MacArthur, Kennedy and LaGuardia airports have been canceled, according to the online tracking service FlightAware.

That includes around 40 flights at MacArthur and over 1,000 flights each at Kennedy and and LaGuardia.

Nassau Inter-County Express buses have been suspended through at least 9 a.m. today. Riders can check nicebus.com or the Go-Mobile App for updates. "Plan for and expect extreme delays" on Monday, the website says.

Suffolk County Transit announced Sunday that its buses would not be operating at all today due to the blizzard. SCT buses are expected to resume at 10 a.m. Tuesday; riders can check the SCT website, the Transit app, or the X handle @sctbusinfo for updates. Huntington's HART bus, which follows the same schedules as SCT, is also suspended today.

Long Island Rail Road service remains suspended "until further notice." Riders can check the TrainTime app or MTA website for updates

Snowplow overturns

Suffolk County police reported a state Department of Transportation snowplow overturned around 8:15 p.m. Sunday on westbound Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore.

They did not immediately say whether the driver was injured or provide additional information.

Since 6 p.m., New York State Police have reported about 20 collisions and over a dozen disabled vehicles on the state parkways

"We still are urging the public to not drive unless absolutely necessary," Trooper Brittany Burton told Newsday.

About 30 crashes were reported in Suffolk since Sunday, police said.

Nassau County Police said 73 reported motor vehicle accidents had occurred so far since 9 a.m. Sunday

Thousands without power on LI

PSEG Long Island is reporting power outages scattered across Long Island and the Rockaway Peninsula.

The total of 424 active outages is impacting 14,056 customers including 2,215 in Nassau County and 2,675 in Suffolk County. Officials said service in Nassau County is expected to be restored by 10 a.m. and in Suffolk by 6 p.m.

The Rockaway peninsula was hit hardest with 9,166 customers affected. There is no set time for restoration with PSEG assessing conditions.

Customers experiencing a power outage can text OUT to PSEGLI (773454)

LI nearing 'height of the storm'

High winds are gusting to around 50 mph across Long Island, according to Jim Connolly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton.

“Over the next several hours, we will be at the height of the storm,” said Connolly. “The winds will pick up a little more. The heaviest snow bands are covering all of Long Island.”

People should expect whiteout conditions and heavy blowing snow.

Long Islanders can report snowfall measurements and damage from strong winds and heavy snow to the National Weather Service here.

Travel bans in effect until 9 a.m. today on LI

Suffolk County is under a state of emergency due to the storm. There is a travel ban for all but essential workers and plow operators until 9 a.m. today.

Suffolk County Transit service was shut down at 4 p.m. Sunday and will be suspended on Monday. It will resume at 10 a.m. on Tuesday Feb. 24, according to County Executive Ed Romaine.

A similar travel ban is in effect in Nassau County, where Executive Bruce Blakeman announced the ban would be in effect from 9 p.m. Sunday until 9 a.m. Monday.

New York City also has a travel ban in place until noon Monday.

Latest snowfall totals exceed 1 foot

Before dawn, parts of Long Island have seen a foot or more of snow, with those totals expected to rise before the blizzard blows away later Monday.

In Suffolk, the highest snowfall recorded so far was in Nesconset, which registered 14.2 inches. Shirley Airport came in at 10.4 inches; Ridge reported 10.1 inches.

In Nassau, East Meadow was the snowfall leader, at 11.8 inches. Bethpage was next at 11 inches; Baldwin Harbor reported 10.2 inches.

These numbers will be updated as the storm continues to blanket the region.

Hundreds of PSEG customers lose power

PSEG Long Island is reported about 990 customers without electricity at 11 p.m. The scattered outages are spread widely across the island in Valley Stream, Seaford, Lake Success, East Hills, and in towns on the South Fork in Suffolk County.

LI's snow totals as of 11 p.m.

Manorville has seen the most snow fall on Long Island with 9.5 inches as of just before 11 p.m., according to unofficial National Weather Service readings.

Other steep totals from the blizzard as it batters the Island include 8.8 inches in Nesconset, 7.5 inches in Center Moriches and 7.1 inches in Deer Park.

In Nassau, Baldwin has seen the most accumulation at 7 inches, followed by East Williston with 6.7 inches, Syosset with 6.6 inches, Levittown with 6.2 inches and Plainedge with 6.

See the latest snowfall totals here.

Snow causes cancellations of flights, trains, buses; nonessential vehicles banned on roads

With heavy snow accumulation overnight Sunday into Monday, and continued snowfall and frigid, windy conditions into Monday evening, officials and experts are warning Long Islanders to avoid travel. Bans on driving on Long Island’s roads have been put into effect through Monday morning, while many flights, trains and buses have been canceled.

Nassau and Suffolk counties implemented travel bans for nonessential vehicles on all roads from 9 p.m. Sunday until 9 a.m. on Monday. Exceptions include municipal workers, doctors, nurses, hospital workers, and other essential workers.

Read more here. 

Hundreds of flights at area airports canceled

Nearly 600 flights have been canceled at Kennedy Airport in the last 24 hours and 533 flights have been canceled at LaGuardia Airport, according to the website Flightaware.com. Travelers planning to fly out of Newark lost 404 flights due to the weather, the website reported.
"Travelers should check with their carriers regarding flight status, with many cancellations expected," the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey posted on social media.
The last flight out of MacArthur Airport on Sunday left shortly before 9 p.m. All flights in and out of the airport Monday morning have been canceled.

Some Long Island schools to do remote learning Monday

While most Long Island schools and districts will cancel classes Monday, a few will utilize remote learning instruction.

They include St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington; St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip; St. Patrick Religious Education and St. Patrick School, both in Bay Shore; The Hagedorn Little Village School and Toddler Time, both in Seaford; Upper Room Christian School in Dix Hills; St. Joseph's University College in Patchogue; and SUNY Old Westbury.

Read more here.

Nonessential Nassau County employees required to report for work at noon Monday

Nonessential Nassau employees will be required to work on Monday beginning at noon, according to a letter Sunday from County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

"For your safety, nonessential services at Nassau County offices will be delayed until 12:00 PM on Monday, February 23, 2026," Blakeman wrote. "This delay will allow roadways to be properly plowed and made safe for travel."

Essential union and nonunion employees directed by their department heads to report to or remain at work before the delay, he said, will receive compensatory salary at straight time for each hour actually worked from the start of their regular shift through noon Monday.

Nonessential employees not required to report to work before noon will be deemed absent with pay from the start of their regular shift until noon, Blakeman said.

Those nonessential employees absent for the remainder of their shift will need to notify their supervisor and utilize accrued leave.

Suffolk County’s Department of Social Services and Traffic Court have a delayed opening to the general public at 1 p.m., said county spokesperson Michael Martino.

Early snow accumulation readings for LI

As of 7 p.m., 3.6 inches of snow had fallen in Center Moriches, followed by Brookhaven Calabro Airport with 3.5 inches. East Williston and Syosset reported 3.1 inches of snow.

Here are some other snow accumulation reports from about then.

• Upton — 2.5 inches
• Miller Place — 2.2 inches
• Upton — 2.5 inches
• Long Island MacArthur Airport — 2.0 inches
• Mount Sinai — 1.5 Inches
• Central Park — 1.7 inches
• Kennedy Airport — 1.7 inches
• LaGuardia Airport — 1.7 inches
• Washington Heights — 1.8 inches

See the latest available rain, wind, and snow measurements here.

Long Island roads hazardous; 25 crashes so far in Suffolk, police say

With snowfall across Long Island continuing to intensify, roadway travel has become increasingly dangerous, law enforcement officials said Sunday evening.

As of 7 p.m. Sunday, the Suffolk County Police Department was reporting at least 25 crashes, although no road closures.

Nassau County police could not provide accident totals but said all lanes of Route 107 in Brookville were closed in both directions between Fruitledge Road and SUNY Old Westbury because of a downed pole.

County Road 51 between Riverhead and Moriches had been reduced to single-lane going north and south late Sunday. Visibility was quickly diminishing and speeds had been reduced to 25 to 30 mph.

National Weather Service meteorologist James Tomasini said visibility on Long Island roads was about half a mile to three quarters of a mile. That number, he said, is expected to drop to a quarter of a mile, and potentially even an eighth of a mile overnight and into early Monday.

“Travel tonight,” Tomasini said, “is going to be very dangerous if not impossible.”

Newsday's Mark Harrington contributed to this post.

Latest forecast: Up 2 feet of snow, flooding, and high winds through mid-Monday

NewsdayTV meteorologist Bill Korbel, in his latest forecast, said conditions outdoors will continue to be hazardous across Long Island through mid-Monday as the blizzard barrels through the region.

Korbel called it "the biggest storm we have seen in a long time, at least back to 2022." Long Island will continue to be buffeted by winds at times above 50 mph "and even some coastal flooding," he said.

Blizzard conditions overnight will make travel difficult or impossible. By mid-Monday, the system will be passing southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Long Island's weather conditions will begin to improve, he added. Before then, expect heavy snow to continue blanketing the region with up to two feet in some locations, Korbel said.

"This is not going to be a powdery snow either," he said. "Temperatures are not much below freezing so it's going to be a bit on the heavy side."

The high tide overnight into early Monday could lead to coastal flooding. On the North Shore of Long Island, the high tide is expected between 2 and 3 a.m. Monday, Korbel said. On the South Shore, the high tide should arrive between midnight and 3 a.m.

The blizzard of 2026 hits LI

Blakeman: Only essential vehicles permitted on Nassau County roadways

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Sunday he has banned "all nonessential vehicles" on roads in Nassau County from 9 p.m. Sunday night until 9 a.m. Monday morning.

Earlier Sunday, in making the announcement, Blakeman defined essential vehicles as those operated by municipal workers, doctors, nurses, hospital workers, and other essential personnel.

Just before 6 p.m. heavy snow continued to fall in Nassau and Suffolk County, with close to white-out conditions in downtown Huntington and only a few brave motorists on the roads.

The latest travel updates for LIRR riders

The MTA has posted the latest updates on Long Island Rail Road service as the blizzard continues.

Riders are advised to allow for extra time catching a train and to "use extra caution, especially on stairs, platforms, and when boarding or exiting trains and buses" according to a post Sunday at 6 p.m. on the Metropolitan Transit Authority's website. The latest updates can be found here.

State of emergency declared in Nassau, Suffolk, 20 other counties

A total of 22 counties, including Nassau and Suffolk, are currently under a state of emergency, according to Gov. Kathy Hochu's office.

Nassau and Suffolk executives Bruce Blakeman and Edward P. Romaine have also declared local states of emergencies.

How to prepare for snow and extreme cold weather

From important numbers you should know to advice on how to safely shovel snow, here's Newsday's guide to keeping your homes, your pets and yourselves safe during extreme winter weather.

Art show canceled but Shinnecock painter, 92, displays her work, talks process

Even though the worst of the snowstorm had yet to arrive by Sunday afternoon, anticipation of the blizzard had an affect on cultural events.

In Southampton Village, a two-month showing of the paintings of Gloria Smith at the Southampton Culture Center was to conclude with a reception Sunday afternoon. The event was canceled but Smith, 92, a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, had some of the paintings on display in her studio on the Shinnecock Nation territory.

Surrounded by her son, Germain Smith, a former trustee of the Nation, and two granddaughters, she described how art has always had a place in her life, painting flowers as a young girl and taking up painting full time when she retired in her 80s.

As the wind picked up around her studio Sunday, Gloria Smith discussed how native themes and culture are a part of all her work, and how she's inspired and taken inspiration from her children and grandchildren. The work keeps her active, including on snowy days.

"Most people my age they don't think about doing anything except sitting in a chair," she said.

Storm forces closure of federal courts

Federal courthouses in Brooklyn, Central Islip, Manhattan, White Plains and Poughkeepsie will be closed Monday because of the snowstorm.

Lawyers and their clients should check the docket for case schedule updates.

Potential federal jurors have been instructed to report for duty on Tuesday and call the phone number on their jury summons after 5 p.m. on Monday for the latest instructions.

Firefighters staying overnight in Nassau, Fire Marshal says

Nassau County Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said many of the 70 volunteer fire departments across the county will require some firefighters to stay overnight into Monday so they can quickly respond to fires, downed trees or power lines and stranded residents

Uttaro urged people to only call 911 for serious emergencies and to follow the travel ban — which begins in Nassau and Suffolk at 9 p.m. and continues until 9 a.m. on Monday. He said motorists venturing out on roadways risk becoming stranded, hampering firefighters' rescue efforts and ability to respond to potential fires.

"You going out on the road only amplifies the problem," Uttaro said.

Residents can help by making sure their house numbers remain visible in the snow and by clearing a three-foot circumference around fire hydrants so they are accessible.

Earlier this month, a spate of seven fires broke out in a 13-hour period in Nassau County, which authorities said were associated with heating as well as unattended cooking, candles and smoking. 

Courts closed Monday in Nassau and Suffolk, arraignments in NYC

Courthouses in Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as most in New York City, will be closed Monday because of the blizzard.

Criminal Court arraignments will be begin at 2 p.m. in the city's five boroughs. All other city courts will be closed.

For emergency applications in Supreme Court civil cases, parties should call (800) 430-8457, or email emergency@nycourts.gov. There will be no jury selection, so prospective jurors need not report to court on Monday. The First and Second Department Appellate Divisions, in Manhattan and Brooklyn respectively, are also closed.

Suffolk County Water Authority activates emergency reponse plan

The Suffolk County Water Authority has initiated its emergency response action plan in preparation for the storm.

Field crews are on standby, phone operators are at the ready to field calls and monitoring showed Sunday that all critical systems are operational, the authority said.

PSEG Long Island calls in outside crews to help with power outages

PSEG Long Island said it has called in hundreds of outside crews to work alongside its own personnel in case of outages from the storm’s expected high winds.

NewsdayTV meteorologist Bill Korbel has said winds could top 50 mph on Long Island.

The utility, which runs the grid for LIPA under contract, has more than 600 of its own PSEG high- and low-voltage line workers, tree trimmers and damage surveyors at the ready, and has called in 260 more from outside.

All crew members will work in 16-hour shifts to restore any outages, PSEG Long Island said, adding that severe damage could lead to outages beyond 24 hours. Anyone who loses power should call 1-800-490-0075.

School districts granted waivers to close Monday, state says

The New York State Education Department has granted waivers for some school districts to close on Monday, without remote instruction for students and without necessarily having to make up the day later.

Under normal conditions, schools are required to be in session 180 days each year in order to receive their full allocation of state aid. But the law allows the education department to disregard that requirement if the closure was due to "extraordinarily adverse weather conditions" during a state of emergency.

Gordon Tepper, a spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul, said an emergency declaration by itself is not sufficient for schools to miss days without making them up.

"Schools need to apply to [the state education department] for a waiver from the minimum instruction day requirement," Tepper told Newsday in a text message.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Sunday afternoon that city schools had already received a waiver from the state.

Snow not enough to keep diners away from Malverne eatery

As light snow descended on Malverne, most of the booths at Our Town Grille were filled with customers Sunday afternoon, many sipping on orange juice, others chowing down on bacon, eggs and other breakfast staples.

The retro vibe luncheonette was seeing pedestrians coming by along with groups of four or five before the worst of the storm came, surprising the establishment’s owners.

“It ain’t fit for man nor beast, and here they are,” said owner Richard Fisichello, while joking with customers seated at the bar area. “So, the local people came.”

To entice more customers amid the storm, the owners created a winter weather special that includes items such as grilled portobello mushrooms and French toast.

“It’s been a very good day” and “people are in good spirits,” said Jerry Carter, also an owner of the luncheonette.

Around the area, people sprinkled in and out of businesses, leading to a line at local deli. Some people picked sweet treats at a bakery. Others found their way into a nearby Irish pub.

Reduced LIRR service on Port Jefferson, Port Washington and Babylon branches

Beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday, LIRR service will be reduced to hourly on the Port Jefferson and Port Washington branches, and every half-hour on the Babylon branch, the MTA said.

Earlier on Sunday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that all service on the Long Island Rail Road will shut down at 1 a.m. on Monday.

NYC Transit will continue to run modified service throughout the storm. according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Express service will operate on local subway tracks. Beginning on Sunday evening, modified service will be in effect in the Rockaways, the MTA said.

"Crews are monitoring switches and tracks to ensure they are working properly, along with salting and clearing snow from elevated station platforms, exposed stairs and subway entrances," the MTA said in a statement. "Field personnel are staged at critical locations including stations and yards, ready to deploy and respond to snow conditions."

Crews at the ready to fix power outages but Hochul urges patience

More than 6,000 utility workers are ready to respond to power outages related to the storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday, but she urged people to be patient if they lose power because repairs can take some time.

Those planning to venture out should "keep track of your local forecast" and travel bans, she said.

Anyone can text 333111 to get local emergency weather updates.

We have plenty of salt in our stockpiles" for spreading on roads, Hochul added at a news conference in Albany.

LIRR service will be suspended at 1 a.m. Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul says

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday that all Long Island Rail Road service will be suspended, beginning at 1 a.m. Monday.

Hochul spokesperson Gordon Tepper said the suspension will last at least until the "morning rush."

State police will help enforce travel bans on all nonessential vehicles in Nassau and Suffolk counties from 9 p.m. Sunday through at least 9 a.m. Monday, the governor said at a news conference in Albany. Both counties had announced the travel bans earlier Sunday.

Hochul said she has also deployed 100 members of the National Guard, with 25 vehicles, to Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley, to help with any rescues and to assist medical and other essential workers getting to their jobs. More than 2,000 state plows were salting and preparing roads for the storm.

"Whatever you need, any groceries, any medicines you need to be refilled at the pharmacy, any pet food you need to have — do it right now, because ... you may not be on the roads after nine o'clock tonight," the governor said.

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At Hicksville Dunkin, lots of doughnuts, fewer customers

Nafi Chowdhury, a crew member at the Dunkin’ on Newbridge Road in Hicksville, said business was a little slower than usual Sunday. With the worst of the snowstorm still to come, Chowdhury said he would likely put down some salt before leaving work Sunday evening.

On Monday, he said he planned to take an MTA Express bus from his home in Queens to Manhattan, where he works as a tax accountant during the week.

“I just started, so I’m not eligible for remote work,” Chowdhury, 29, said. “I normally take the express bus, which is good. I think that it’ll work.”

Travel bans in both counties tonight

Nassau and Suffolk counties are banning nonessential vehicles from traveling beginning at 9 p.m. tonight and lasting through 9 a.m. on Monday morning.

Essential vehicles include plow operators, others operated by critically needed municipal workers, and hospital personnel.

Snowstorm no problem for this LIRR commuter

Despite the looming snowstorm Sunday, Jihye Seo, 32, kept a business-as-usual outlook. She sang in the choir at Yale Korean Presbyterian Church choir in Hicksville.

Later Sunday, Seo said, she'll teach music remotely to her clients. She struck an optimistic tone, comparing the latest forecasts to the snowstorm in January, while waiting in the cold Sunday afternoon for a train at the Long Island Rail Road's Hicksville Station.

"I don’t think it’s going to be as bad, because temperatures are going to be so much higher," she said

Still, Seo was going to be spending the rest of the day in Wantagh at the home of her boyfriend’s parents, who she said were more unnerved by the weather.

"I really don’t care," she said, as the snowfall outside the station started to intensify.

NICE Bus suspending service at 9 p.m.

NICE Bus is suspending service from 9 p.m. tonight until at least 9 a.m. on Monday. Earlier delays or suspensions are possible.

A determination about whether the 9 a.m. Monday resumption is possible will be made on Monday morning. The NICE GoMobile app has real-time info.

Suffolk County Transit bus service stops at 4 p.m. Sunday

Suffolk County Transit service is scheduled to shut down at 4 p.m. on Sunday and remain suspended Monday, according to a statement from the office of County Executive Ed Romaine.

Service is scheduled to resume Tuesday with an expected delayed start at 10 a.m.

Updates can be found on the Suffolk County Transit website or @sctbusinfo on X.

Mineola bar staying open during storm

The Recovery Room Bar & Grill in Mineola will more than live up to its name during the snowstorm.

Joa Zee, a bartender at the establishment, said they will stay open all day and into the evening for those in need of a break from the expect blizzard — and she predicted there will be plenty of customers.

She said the bar had been full of people during January’s storm.

"People don’t want to be locked in at home while things are going down," she said. "They want to be a part of something."

By 11:30 a.m. Sunday, as the U.S. men’s hockey team celebrated its Olympics victory, there was already one patron sitting at the bar watching on a television.

Mamdani: New York City school closed Monday

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said a blizzard in the forecast means the "first old school snow day since 2019." Translation for children across all five boroughs? No school on Monday, which also applies to remote learning.

As for Tuesday, no decision had been made, Mamdani said.

"Your mission, should you choose to accept it," the mayor said with tongue planted firmly in cheek, "is to stay cozy."

Mamdani also announced a travel ban in the city from 9 p.m. Sunday to noon Monday, closing streets, highways and bridges.

The ban applies to "all traffic, cars, trucks, scooters and e-bikes, with some specific exemptions for essential and emergency movement," he said at a news conference Sunday.

King Kullen, Wild by Nature stores closing early

King Kullen and Wild by Nature grocery stores will close early Sunday at 7 p.m., the chain’s senior vice president, Lloyd Singer, announced Sunday morning. The stores are expected to open late on Monday morning.

"This temporary closure allows us to help ensure the safety and well-being of our employees and customers," Singer said in a statement.

Suffolk issues travel ban beginning at 9 p.m.

Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine on Sunday issued a travel ban for Suffolk County beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday through 9 a.m. Monday, his office announced.

The ban does not apply to essential workers and plow operators, the statement said.

Romaine's office had earlier said that the ban would apply to 9 p.m. on Monday.

School closures on Monday

Many school districts and other educational programs on Long Island have announced closures for Monday.

You can find your district or program here.

Mass transit impacts expected

The MTA is warning that the storm may have severe impacts on the Long Island Rail Road.

But before the snow began, on Sunday morning, the LIRR was operating mostly on or close to schedule.

Many flights arriving at the airports on Sunday were canceled.

At Kennedy Airport, 63% of arrivals and 42% of departing flights were canceled as of 10 a.m., according to the website FlightAware.

At LaGuardia, 62% of arrivals and 46% of departures were canceled.

Fifteen inbound and outbound flights at Long Island MacArthur Airport were canceled Sunday as of about 11 a.m. Another seven were delayed, according to the Ronkonkoma airport's website.

Blizzard warning takes effect at 1 p.m.

A blizzard warning will be in effect beginning Sunday at 1 p.m. and continuing into Monday afternoon across the tristate area, with snowfall and road conditions that could greatly limit travel and disrupt normal life well into Tuesday, forecasters said.

The blizzard conditions will bring heavy snow, with accumulations of up to two feet expected, along with high winds and whiteout conditions that are expected to cause "dangerous to impossible travel" from Sunday night through Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service said. 

Forecasters expect strong-to-damaging wind gusts Sunday night into Monday afternoon.

The blizzard "will be a rapidly strengthening storm," said Brian Frugis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Albany.