(UPDATED- 11:42 AM) A winter storm warning remains in effect for our area until 6 p.m. this evening, according to the latest warning issued by the National Weather Service at 10:52 a.m.
Snow continues to fall on central Long Island and the North Fork. The storm is expected to leave behind 15 to 20 inches of local accumulations before it pulls out of our area later today, according to the National Weather Service in Upton. Lower snow totals, in the range of eight to 12 inches, are expected on the South Fork.
Sustained northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph, will continue to reduce visibilities to less than a quarter-mile, creating hazardous travel conditions. Motorists should avoid all unnecessary travel.
The snow will taper off this afternoon, but Riverhead and the North Fork may still see periods of moderate to heavy snow late this morning into early afternoon.
The storm has intensified over New England, which remains under a winter storm warning today. The Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Boston, which is in effect until 8 p.m.
Downed branches, trees and power lines have caused scattered power outages across the North Fork and Shelter Island. Outages are reported in Calverton, Mattituck, Peconic, Southold, Orient and Shelter Island Heights; more than 250 customers are without power, according to LIPA.
The low moving up the coast has created very rough seas, which will continue through Thursday. A gale warning remains in effect for eastern Long Island Sound and Peconic and Gardiners bays until 9 pm tonight.
Cross Sound Ferry Services has canceled all departures in both directions between Orient Point and New London.
All area schools are closed today, as is Brookhaven National Laboratory. Riverhead Town Hall will open at 11 a.m. today. Many businesses, including Tanger Outlet Center, Adchem and Suffolk County National Bank, are closed today. See the complete list of closings, cancellations and delays here.
Jury duty service is suspended today in Suffolk County, according to the N.Y. State Unified Court System website.
The storm has paralyzed transportation on eastern Long Island.
There will be no commercial flights in or out of Long Island MacArthur Airport until later this afternoon.
The Long Island Railroad has suspended service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport until further notice and has canceled 23 westbound trains from Ronkoknoma during the morning rush.
The snowfall has significantly intensified in the last couple of hours, Riverhead Highway Superintendent George Woodson said in a phone interview from his plow truck at 5:45 a.m.
“We’re seeing whiteout conditions right now,” Woodson reported.
Riverhead Highway crews worked throughout the night to keep the town’s main roadways clear for emergency access, Woodson said.
Peconic Bay Medical Center has activated emergency operations to insure full medical and support staff coverage during the storm, said PBMC president and CEO Andrew Mitchell.
The hospital set up dormitory quarters for its staff, who will transported to and from work by four wheel drive vehicles as needed.
The hospital emergency center is an elaborate facility which is comprised of satellite telephone communication, police and fire radio transmission, and a large screen computer display with video links to track the effects of the storm, Mitchell said.
The Medical Center’s Emergency Power System has been tested and the hospital is coordinating with local authorities who include the ambulance corps, Riverhead Town and the Suffolk County Emergency Operations Center, Mitchell said.
If you were planning to travel by air today, Long Island MacArthur Airport and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates JFK and LaGuardia, advise calling your carrier for information and instructions. Southwest’s first inbound flight at the Islip airport is now scheduled for 1:20 pm, with its first outbound flight not schedued to depart until 2:30 p.m. US Airways Express has suspended all operations at MacArthur until 3:50 pm. For more information call Southwest at 1-800-435-9792 or go to southwest.com, or US Airways Express 1-800-428-4322 or usairways.com.
Check back here for more storm information as it becomes available.
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