Blizzard hits Long Island

The first blizzard of the season dumped more than a foot of snow in our area Saturday night to Sunday morning, with high winds and heavy, drifting snow accumulating over night.

The snow tapered off late Sunday morning, leaving a blanket of 18 inches in some areas and adding another inch or so of accumulation.

School was already out in East Meadow for the holiday break, as classes ended on Dec. 18, and will not resume until Jan. 4.

Instead, many kids enjoyed the snowy conditions at Eisenhower Park's famous "Sled Hill."

Ray Ribiero, commissioner of the Nassau County Department of Public Works, said that the county's plows and sanders were ready to roll as early as Friday, and got on the road at about 5 p.m. on Saturday. Ribiero said that the approximately 250-man crew was able to clear the roads relatively easily because the heavy snow fell during the night hours when people were off the road, and that the snow itself was light in weight. The crew was back out at about 4 a.m. Monday morning to sand the roads to prevent black ice from accumulating, he added.

Over the next couple of days, workers were removing snow from curbside parking spaces, where snow had been pushed off the roads by plows. But despite most roads being clear, Ribiero urged motorists to remain cautious and beware of black ice.

"Be very careful," Ribiero said. "Keep a lot of space between you and the other driver. Be patient — it's going to be hard to find a parking space, but just be patient and use your common sense."

A “white” Christmas was not in the forecast as the Herald went to press. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Upton predicted a 20-percent chance of rain on Dec. 25, with a temperature of 39 degrees.