Fast-moving winter storm charges through LI, leaving as much as 9 inches

The region's second snowstorm in less than a week left behind a blanket of snow Sunday, but with light winds and a rapid pace, it fell short of the nor'easter that paralyzed the region last week.

The fast-moving storm charged through Long Island in about nine hours, leaving up to nine inches behind on top of the remnants of last week's system. By 7 p.m., the storm had left the island and was heading north and east, said National Weather Service meteorologist James Tomasini.

But snow may return Tuesday and Thursday, though the amounts are expected to be far lower than what Long Islanders have seen recently.

"The projection is we will have a couple of chances for snow. We don’t know exactly how much," said Jim Connolly, a weather service meteorologist in Upton. "We are not expecting a storm with more than a foot of snow."

Forecasters expect to see some snowflakes Tuesday morning with a mixture of snow, sleet and rain likely to follow.

"There’s a chance that it stays all snow. That’s your Tuesday system. It’s not a big one," Connolly said. "It looks more likely we will have some snow on Thursday. … I would be surprised if we get even a couple of inches."

In the next seven days, Connolly advises island residents to keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared for wintry weather.

Unlike the three-day storm that blanketed the region with snow last week, Sunday's system was quick-moving with light, powdery snow that didn't stop the LIRR from operating and kept plow drivers busy but not overwhelmed.

The weather service reported 8.4 inches of snow in Syosset and 9 inches in Melville, on its 8:15 p.m. update.

The snowfall wound down rapidly from west to east, with the weather service canceling the winter storm warning for New York City and points west as early as of 4 p.m. The winter storm warning for Suffolk, originally set for 9 p.m., was canceled as of 7 p.m.

Winds were also far calmer than the gusts of the near-blizzard conditions from the nor'easter that dumped more than 18 inches of snow in some places of the Island last week.

SEE PHOTOSSee winter storm photos from around Long Island

PSEG Long Island was staffed up Sunday in case the weather turned, but spokeswoman Ashley Chauvin said the utility wasn't expecting a large number of outages from the snowstorm. Just after 9:30 p.m. on Sunday there were less than 10 customers without power.

"We have additional personnel ready to respond," Chauvin said Sunday evening, noting the company did not request off-island crews. "While we don’t expect the strong winds we saw last week, we have enacted our emergency response plan."

Strong winds were the primary culprit in the more than 21,000 outages experienced by last week’s snowstorm, as winds knocked down branches, or pushed them into wires.

Temperatures Sunday night were forecast to get down to the teens overnight, bringing the prospect of icing to the roads.

Chauvin said ice, which can also weigh down and potentially snap wires, wasn't expected to be a problem Sunday night. "The snow we’re seeing is the type that typically falls off power lines," she said.

Still, she said, outages are "always possible and we’re on the lookout. We’ve taken extra precautions in case" there are problems.

Despite the weather, on Super Bowl Sunday, restaurant owners had a busy night filling takeout orders.

In East Northport, as snow fell outside, Changing Times Ale House had orders for 28,000 chicken wings.

"[It’s] definitely more takeout this year than any other because a lot of people have to stay home," said Shira Ferraro, who has worked at the bar for 20 years. " … Just going to make the best of it. It’s definitely not going to be the norm."

Eddie Plitt, co-owner of the sports bar, said while things could be tricky this year due to the weather and other uncertainties: "People are still watching football this season … So you know, we will get what we get."

In Babylon Village, John Davies, 48, was cleaning out the sidewalk of a medical building on John Street in Babylon Village. He’s done it for the last five years.

"It’s cardio. It’s also some extra money," the Central Islip resident said when asked why he was shoveling.

Marty Albert, 66, stopped by to check on his colleague. Albert, a resident of Bay Shore, said he’s been in the shoveling snow business for 50 years.

"It snows and the blood starts pumping," he said. "This is light [snow] and it’s been easy to plow."

Albert said he and along with a few others he employs, shovel out sidewalks and parking spots of other medical offices in Suffolk County. He may leave the snow business all together.

"My girlfriend wants to go to Florida," he said. "I tell her ‘two more years.’"

New York State said it would reschedule coronavirus vaccine appointments made for Sunday at Stony Brook University and Jones Beach, and Nassau County said it would reschedule Yes We Can Community Center and Nassau Community College appointments. There were similar cancellations during last week’s storm.

Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin said local roads were pretreated with salt and sand Saturday night and 400 pieces of equipment are currently out on the streets.

"If the last storm was a marathon," he said, "this one is a sprint, but we will get a lot of snow."

Kevin Orelli, Huntington superintendent of highways, said midday Sunday that roads were pretreated overnight, and that back streets are starting to become difficult to navigate, especially those with hills.

How about for Monday’s rush hour?

"If the snow stops by five, that should be a piece of cake," he said.

Brookhaven Town highway superintendent Daniel Losquadro said Sunday’s storm is "totally different" from last week’s, which had more snow accumulation than plows could pick up at once. Sunday’s lower accumulation will help plows clear roads "curb to curb" more quickly.

The storm comes two days after the Brookhaven team finally went home at a regular hour for the first time on Friday. Highway crews had worked 70 hours last week, and Losquadro said he has brought in 10 more pieces of equipment and has looked for new contractor crews to help.

Losquadro said his kids are hoping for a school delay Monday but he expects to have all the roads cleared in time for the morning commute.

"They’re rooting against Team Dad. But that’s up to the schools, and I’m going to do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen," he said.