WEATHER

County: major roads passable, but slick with snow, sleet and ice

Residents asked to use caution if they must drive

Posted

Nassau County’s snow plows, salters and sanders were out in force Thursday, a county spokesman said, as these vehicles’ operators worked to clear the roadways while snow and sleet fell rapidly.

Brian Nevin, the county spokesman, said at 7 a.m. that this work had cleared the county’s main roadway “arteries” down to the blacktop or a light coating of snow. But Nevin also warned of slick driving conditions due to accumulated snow from today and recent weeks as well as expected sleet and rain later in the day. He urged residents not to venture out on the roads unless very necessary, and to use caution if they do drive.

Crews began pre-treating county roads with brine at midnight to reduce the accumulation of snow, according to Nevin. He said the county received a shipment of 1,000 tons of salt yesterday and is well-stocked with more than 6,000 tons of salt on hand.

The County’s Office of Emergency Management activated operation at 2 a.m. At 6 a.m., County Executive Ed Mangano activated the county’s non-emergency hotline. For assistance with non-life threatening emergencies during the storm, residents should dial 1-888-684-4274. Residents encountering life-threatening emergencies should dial 911.

Nevin also reminded residents to be cautious of overexertion when shoveling or using snow blowers and that they should never use their hands to clear snow from snow blowers, which he called the “number one” cause of injuries during snow storms.

Planned activities at county parks are cancelled today, as are visiting hours at the Nassau County Correctional Facility in East Meadow. The County’s Aquatic Center in Eisenhower Park and its Rifle Range in Uniondale are closed today.