Baldwin schools closed 1.12.11

With a hit and run storm slamming Long Island last night, blanketing some areas of Nassau County with up to 20 inches of snow, the Baldwin School District has decided to close schools today.

Parents were informed of the decision to close schools via a Blackboard Connect message by 11 p.m., and the closure was indicated by the following announcement on the district’s website, www3.baldwinschools.org: “Important Message: Due to inclement weather all schools will be closed 1/12/2011.”

According to the National Weather Service, last night’s storm hit fast and furiously, with snow piling up as quickly as 2-4 inches per hour in some areas.

Perhaps prompted by criticism of response to a recent storm, the Town of Hempstead was already gearing up yesterday afternoon to deal with a sizable accumulation. Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray said yesterday the town would mobilize some 250 pieces of equipment -- getting them out on the roads Tuesday evening, and employing them throughout the night.

Murray also recommended that residents digging out this morning place snow to the right of their driveways when facing the road. Doing so, she clarified, would reduce the risk of having the driveway plowed in when sanitation vehicles continue their work.

During the Dec. 26 blizzard, the Town of Hempstead spent nearly $1.8 million, and employed more than 200 pieces of equipment on town roads.