With village ready, snow fall begins in Valley Stream

The snow has started falling in Valley Stream and village crews are beginning to clear the roads which have become very trecherous very quickly.

After rain for most of the day on Friday, preciption turned to sleet and then snow by late in the afternoon, with as much of a foot of snow expected by Saturday morning.

Blizzard-like conditions are expected overnight, with heavy snow and high winds. However, the storm is expected to clear out entirely by midday Saturday. It is the first major snowstorm this winter.

In the days leading up to the storm, Highway Department crews at the Public Works facility on Arlington Avenue were hooking plows up to the trucks and getting the sanders and salters loaded. Village Clerk Bob Barra said a sand delivery came Thursday afternoon, and there is plenty of gasoline available to operate the fleet during the storm.

Barra said that the Highway Department will be out around the clock until the snow stops and all roads are cleared. “All hands are on deck and we’re ready to go," he said.

The village crews are responsible for plowing about 90 miles of roads. The Nassau County Department of Public Works clears major roads such as Merrick Road, Corona Avenue, Rockaway Parkway, Central Avenue and Mill Road, and the state takes care of Sunrise Highway.

Barra said residents should move their cars off the streets so that the plows can clear snow from curb to curb. He also said that people should avoid all unnecessary travel.

Additionally, Barra said when residents begin shoveling their sidewalks and driveways, they should not be putting any of that snow into the street. He said they can be fined for doing so.

The village has two numbers that residents can call for storm-related emergency that will be manned through the weekend. The numbers are (516) 825-8494 and 825-8489.

Additionally, the Long Island Power Authority has warned of possible power outages during the storm. As of 6 p.m. on Friday, only a handful were reported in Valley Stream.