A major winter storm left coastal areas of downtown Riverhead under water early Thursday morning.
The storm brought heavy rain, high winds and flooding to the region. A coastal flood warning remains in effect until noon Thursday.
Heidi Behr Way is closed to traffic and the riverfront parking lot is inundated and inaccessible to vehicular traffic, leaving parked motor vehicles stranded in several inches of standing water in some places. Floodwaters covered the River Walk and the entire parking lot, from Peconic Avenue to the aquarium.
Grangebel Park and Milton Burns Park south of West Main Street were inundated, with water reaching the south end of the community garden and playground just north of the park.
High winds took down branches and toppled a few trees around town.
Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller said police had no reports of any damage along the bluffs of the Long Island Sound during the storm, which packed a powerful punch, with winds gusting to 60 mph, as it moved through the region overnight.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Denise Civiletti
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