Long Island Buried By Blizzard, Major Highways Closed

Photo Credit News 12 Long Island more photos here

According to Newsday parts of Long Island received more than 30 inches of snowfall.Hundreds of motorists were stranded.

Hundreds of vehicles, some abandoned, others with drivers inside, remained stuck on snow-covered roadways across Long Island late Saturday morning, nearly 14 hours after the largest storm of the season hit the region hard Friday night and into Saturday.

As the sun began to peek through the clouds by late morning, the sheer strength of the storm and its ability to nearly paralyze much of Suffolk County became clear.

By Saturday morning LIPA is reporting 10,000+ residents are left without power.

Icy winds continued to whip across much of Long Island, churning a fine mist of snow. Medford got the most snow on Long Island with 33.5 inches, according to the National Weather Service, with Uptonreceiving 30.9 inches and Central Islip 30.7.

I have heard on local television that it’s taking many people 2 or more hours to clear their driveways with  their snow blowers .

Abc news is saying Long Island got buried by the blizzard LONG ISLAND (WABC) – Police on Long Island say hundreds of cars got stuck on the Long Island Expressway during the massive snowstorm, and dozens of disabled motorists are still on the road.

Suffolk County police say cars began getting stuck Friday afternoon because weather conditions were so bad. Authorities say vehicles are backed up and can’t pass one another, and mounds of snow from plows have made it difficult for them to exit the highway.

The Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway are both shut down in Suffolk County except for emergency vehicles. Both highways remained open in Nassau County to all vehicles

This monster storm reminds me of the blizzard of 1978.The Long Island Press is reporting that Long Islanders woke up Saturday to a mound of snow on their front yards, their cars swallowed by a white blanket and streets barely drivable as a powerful Nor’easter swooped in and dropped up to 30 inches of snow on the Island.

While many residents will have hours of shoveling ahead after the blizzard, most will be able to fire up some hot chocolate and huddle up next to their television screens because while this massive storm packed a punch, it didn’t come close to National Grid’s estimate of 100,000 customers losing power. In fact, as of 9 a.m., the total was a little less than 11,000 people in the dark.

But the storm was dangerous.

All major highways in Suffolk County had to be shut down to all non-emergency vehicles, including the Long Island Expressway, Sunrise Highway, Southern State, Northern State, Sagtikos/Sunken Meadow, Robert Moses Causeway, and Ocean Parkway.