Video: Amid bitterly cold temps, Bellmore-Merrick digs out

A "surprise" winter storm dumped 10-12 inches of powdery snow on the Bellmore-Merrick area overnight, with snow drifts as high as two feet. With the wind chill factored in, temperatures fell below zero, making digging out for Wednesday morning's commute a bitterly cold experience.

Many throughout the community said the storm snuck up on them. Forecasters only began predicting a major storm on Monday.

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the National Weather Service put the temperature in Bellmore-Merrick at 7 degrees Fahrenheit, but with the wind chill, it felt like -10.

Wednesday's expected high was 16 degrees, according to the NWS, and, forecasters said, it wouldn't get much warmer for the rest of the week. On Thursday, the NWS said, there was a slight chance of snow, with temperatures expected in the 20s.

Nassau County and Town of Hempstead roads were passable, though, at times, snow-covered. And PSEG Long Island reported relatively few outages during the storm.

All Bellmore-Merrick schools were closed on Wednesday.