After historic storm, fun and shoveling in E. Meadow

After an historic snowstorm blanketed the region, local officials and East Meadowites continued to dig out roadways and homes on Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service, the powerful low pressure system that caused the snowfall gradually pulled away from the East Coast. Although East Meadow was mostly sunny on Sunday, between 9 and 11-mile-per-hour winds continued to blow snow across local streets — especially before 4 p.m.

The National Weather Service also reported snow totals from across the Nassau County on Sunday. About 17 inches of snow fell in East Meadow as of 10 p.m. Saturday. However, totals climbed by midnight in nearby communities, as 29.6 inches fell in Hicksville and 25.8 inches in North Merrick. The most recent local measurement posted on weather.gov was taken at 9 a.m. in Carle Place (24.1 inches).

East Meadowites anxiously waited for Town of Hempstead and Nassau County crews to remove snow from their blocks, as plows needed to return to the same streets multiple times to push away drifts. It wasn't an easy process; Jennifer Kleiner, who lives near the intersection of Concord Avenue and Cherry Place, saw a Hempstead truck get stock in mounds of snow just before 11 p.m Saturday night.

“The plow was stuck for about a half an hour,” she said in a video post to the East Meadow Herald Facebook page. “Another smaller plow had to come and help...[it] finally got free.”

By Sunday morning, community members emerged from their snow and ice-covered homes, ready to shovel their driveways and sidewalks. Plenty of pets and children had fun playing in the snow as wells, building forts and running across their yards.

Hempstead Town officials provided storm information on their website. They said that, due to the severe storm, sanitation customers who ordinarily receive back door garbage pick-up will be required to bring garbage to theit curb for collection on regularly scheduled pick-up days from Monday, Jan. 25 through Friday, Jan. 29. Regular back door pick-up will resume on Monday, Feb. 1.

Officials also noted that residents should report hazardous town road conditions online at www.toh.li/storm-response-form.