Five Towns readies for snowstorm

With a blizzard warning in effect from 6 p.m. Thursday to 1 p.m. Friday and expected snow accumulations predicted between 6 to 10 inches, villages in the Five Towns area are preparing for the forecasted storm.

The Village of Lawrence is issuing a snow emergency alert that will go into effect Thursday afternoon to ensure that resident do not have vehicles on the streets so village roads can be plowed.

Lawrence’s Department of Public Works is ready to go with plows, and salt spreaders, Mayor Martin Oliner said, adding that drains will be monitored to alleviate any possible flooding. Regarding what the village budgets for snow clean up Oliner said: Dollar amounts are not consequential at this time.”

In Cedarhurst, a snow emergency is also in effect. Residents are advised to remove vehicles from the streets so the plows can safely clear the snow. Sanders were out early Thursday morning in the village’s business district, Mayor Andrew Parise said. “We have seven plows, three sanders and a crew of five that will be out shoveling through the business district, Parise said, adding that the village will keep on eye on the possible flooding and like Lawrence and Atlantic Beach and other villages is in constant contact with Nassau County’s Office of Emergency Management regarding conditions. There is also 100 tons of salt on hand.

The village budgets $50,000 for snow removal, Parise said, adding that the work gets done. “That’s for a normal winter,” he said. “You do whatever it takes.

Mayor Stephen Mahler in Atlantic Beach said the village is prepared. “We are on notice, we have our salt and people ready to go,” he said.

The mayor said the village budgets $21,000 for snow clean up, which includes village staffers clearing the streets and 200 tons of salt. “We’ve always cleared our streets pretty quickly,” Mahler said.

Lee Israel, the mayor of Woodsburgh, said that the village is ready as equipment has been serviced and there are “adequate stores of sand and salt to cover the impending storm.” Israel said residents will be notified should they need to move vehicles off the roads and he is in contact with county police and PSEG, “to be informed and prepared as possible.” The approximately half-mile square village budgets about $3,000 per year for snow removal, the mayor said.

The forecasted storm also includes winds from the north of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Temperatures are expected to be about 30° through Thursday, then falling through the 20s late Thursday night and through the teens on Friday. With the wind chill temperatures are expected to be between 0° to near 10° below zero on Friday.