Blizzard conditions this morning, with snowfall rates of 1-2″ per hour, winds gusting to 60 mph, National Weather Service says

Snowfall rates will continue to increase through daybreak across the region, the National Weather Service said in a statement this morning. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches an hour are possible, locally up to 3 inches an hour, the weather service said.

Strong winds, gusting as high as 60 mph, will cause drifting of snow. These conditions may persist into the early afternoon, the weather service said.

Travel will be extremely difficult to impossible and should be avoided except for emergencies. If you must travel, bring a winter survival kit and if you become stranded, stay with your vehicle, the weather service said.

A blizzard warning remains in effect until 7 p.m.

The East End could see up to 20 inches of snow accumulations by the time the snow diminishes this evening, the weather service said. About 5-7 inches of snow has already fallen and new snow accumulation of 9 to 13 inches is possible today, according to the NWS forecast.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency in Suffolk, Nassau and other downstate counties.

Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Aguiar has declared a winter storm event in the Town of Riverhead, which went into effect at midnight. No parking is permitted on either side of any roadway.

Temperatures today will be in the 20s and could fall into the teens by evening, the weather service said.

Highway crews have been out plowing overnight in an effort to keep main roads passable. Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski asks residents to stay home and stay off the roads to allow crews to work safely and effectively.

If you have an emergency, call 911.

Report power outages to PSEG-LI and receive status updates by texting OUT to PSEGLI (773454).

To report a downed wire, call PSEG-LI’s 24-hour electric service number at 800-490-0075 or call 911. Remember to treat all downed wires as live — stay at least 30 feet away, and do not drive over or stand near them.