Long Islanders pleasantly surprised after snowstorm underperforms

Long Islanders expressed relief Monday morning that Sunday night's would-be snowstorm, expected to dump up to 10 inches on the region, had turned out much milder and wetter than expected.

But the 1 to 6 inches that the storm did deposit on the Island still left residents contending with messy roads, slushy train station platforms and driveways in need of shoveling as they began their workweeks.

“Actually, it was fine. I know it’s hard to believe,” said Karen Williams, of Great River, after her early morning commute on the Long Island Rail Road into Penn Station.

“I had no problems, but the roads were just wet," she said.

Williams and other railroad passengers said they'd braced for worse, given the forecast and the LIRR's recent troubles.

“It was the best commute all week. Last week was hard because of the derailment,” said Tom Pologruto, of Cold Spring Harbor. Three people died Tuesday when a car drove onto the LIRR tracks in Westbury and was struck by two trains. 

On Monday, Pologruto said the train was “right on time, perfect. No delays, no extra stops, no overcrowding.”

Jonathan Hotetz, who works in construction management, took the 6:28 a.m. from Baldwin, where he lives.

“It was fine, on time, no issues,” said Hotetz, 42. “I’m not a hater of the railroad, and that branch seems to be pretty good. I think people just like to complain.”

With temperatures in the 30s, the chill still made for some unpleasant waits for trains and buses to arrive.

“It’s cold out here,” said Jesus Grados, 33, as he stood at a bus stop in Huntington.

After 10 minutes, Grados' cellphone app told him he still had another 29 minutes to go.

“Sometimes, it’s wrong,” he said. Five minutes later, the dry cleaner was boarding his bus.

Some Long Islanders said they didn't mind the inclement weather.

Cristhian Ramos, 30, shoveled his driveway in Huntington in a short-sleeved shirt and flip-flops.

“We’ve been waiting for the snow. We want the snow, I don’t have a problem shoveling snow,” he said. “The weather feels good.”

John Glasgow was shoveling his driveway in Hicksville around 8:15 a.m.

“I have a snowblower, but with the snow so heavy, it looks like it’s more of a struggle trying to push,” Glasgow said. 

At the Hicksville train station, John Hare, of Levittown, dismissed Sunday's forecasts predicting a stronger storm.

“I never listen to them,” he said. “I get up and look out the door.”