Long Beach digs out from record-breaking snowstorm

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The city's public works crews continued their snow emergency cleanup response on Sunday, as residents began to dig out from what has been called a record-breaking storm that dumped nearly two-feet of snow on the area.

"The snow emergency remains in effect with a big cleanup ahead," City Manager Jack Schnirman said on the city's website Sunday morning. "Wind is still a significant issue as blowing snow presents a challenge to plows. This has been an extraordinary snowstorm, and we are urging residents to remain indoors as our public works crews still need to continue working all day to ensure that the roads are passable for the Monday morning commute."

The Long Beach Public Library and all city recreation facilities were closed Sunday morning, and all weekend school activities were cancelled.

The city said that it had two buses out in operation for the West End and East Loop on regular routes. Similar to Nassau County, Suffolk County, and New York City, paratransit is suspended until Monday.

"We are still encouraging residents to check on loved ones and neighbors," Schnirman said. "Also, many residents begin shoveling out vehicles along our streets, only to be plowed in again. When you shovel, please refrain from shoveling snow directly into the street when possible and avoid placing snow where it will be plowed into your neighbor’s driveway."

With many residents still on edge more than three years after Hurricane Sandy, it was the threat of coastal flooding that gave many cause for concern. Some residents in the Canals, which experienced some of the worst flooding during Sandy, reported that they parked their vehicles in Rockville Centre and other towns on Friday to avoid any potential flood damage.

Long Beach was spared from any major flooding on Saturday despite a full moon strengthened by a high-tide, which came as a relief to residents and city officials alike, though there were reports of some minor flooding in certain areas along Reynold's Channel and the parking lot of South Nassau Communities Hospital's freestanding emergency department.

East Beech Street resident Alyson Goodman, whose car was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy, said she was relieved that there was no flooding.

"There was no flooding on the beach side, so that was good and it could have been a lot worse, but I heard there was some in the Canals," she said. "[The snow] was easy to shovel, and I have a snowblower so that made it even easier."

Schnirman lauded the city's CSEA crews, who worked "tirelessly" throughout the night.

"The hardworking men and women of CSEA have done an amazing job thus far, keeping up with the storm, but given the nature of this storm, crews will need to continue working around the clock to fully clear roads," he said.