Winter Storm Predicted for Area, With Snow, Gusting Winds

A  storm packing heavy snow and gusty winds is expected to hit Huntington and the region starting Wednesday afternoon.

Total snow accumulation could reach 8 to 14 inches, with Nassau County and western Suffolk County expected to be hit hardest by the storm with winds gusting to 50 MPH, though the track of the storm may be shifting northward, away some snow from Long Island, and turning the it to sleet or rain.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the National Weather Service said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.”

 

A few gas stations had lines of cars waiting to fuel up their vehicles.

Huntington Highway Superintendent Kevin Orelli said, “We are keeping a watchful eye on this powerful weather system. The storm’s current track is trending towards higher accumulations as you travel north of Route 25A from Cold Spring Harbor to the west to Ft. Salonga in the east. Those northern areas have steep hills and narrow roads which presents a challenge when dealing with plowing and salting. The Department is ready and we will have crews working throughout the storm keeping our roads open and safe. 

He also reminded residents to remove boats on trailers, cars and sports equipment from the streets so that they can be plowed.

Suffolk Police Chief Stuart Cameron said Tuesday that the storm could affect two rush hours, Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, and encouraged people to work remotely if possible.

PSEG-LI offered ways to stay connected to the utility:

 
  • Report an outage and receive status updates by texting OUT to PSEGLI (773454). You can also report your outage through our app, website at www.psegliny.com/outages or with your voice using the Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant app on your smartphone. 
  • To report an outage or downed wire call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number: 800-490-0075 or use our web chat feature at www.psegliny.com
  • Follow PSEG Long Island on Facebook and Twitter to report an outage and for updates before, during and after the storm
  • Visit PSEG Long Island’s MyPower map for the latest in outage info, restoration times and crew locations across Long Island and the Rockaways at https://mypowermap.psegliny.com/     

It also said that during this storm, it may change its communications process. Customers reporting an outage will receive an “assessing conditions” message, rather than an estimated time of restoration (ETR), meant to more improve the accuracy of communications.

The Huntington Matters community group on Facebook has two lists of snowplow services for those expecting to need help clearing away snow.

Some school districts, including Huntington, are part of a test program to keep online classes operating and not declare a snow day. But how districts will work if families lose power to their homes is unclear.

The Suffolk SPCA offered these tips:

  • Make sure pets have ID tags because pets can get lost in a storm
  • Never leave pets unattended in a car
  • The other basic rules are as follows:   
  • Keep Cats Indoors:
  • Walk dogs on a leash bcause they can get disoriented in a storm
  • Be Aware of  cats and wildlife sheltering under a vehicle
  • Keep Pets Warm
  • If you have bunnies who live outside, make sure they have a warm, dry hutch with plenty of bedding that is out of the wind. Water is important too as is some extra food. Cover the hutch with a tarp.

PSEG Outage Map

Weather on Twitter 

 

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