Latest snowstorm packs a punch in Valley Stream

Megan and Owen Ward, 10-year-old twins from Valley Stream, pose in front of their snowman during their snow day.

Courtesy Larry Fox

There was snow as far as the eye could see Thursday morning on Lynn Drive in North Valley Stream.

Courtesy Karen Kiefer

Casey Woluewich, 9, snapped this snow scene of Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream.

Courtesy Christine Woluewich

A shot of the snow from St. Marks Place and Grove Street.

Courtesy John Franco

In the Gibson area, Ariel Navarro and Hannah Wallach, both 6, made a snow couple for Valentine's Day.

Courtesy Michele Wallach

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Unlike a few other storms this winter, Valley Stream residents and fellow Long Islanders had several days to prepare for this latest in a seemingly unending spate of winter blasts.

In Valley Stream, the snow changed over to rain by about 10 a.m., but not before nearly a foot of snow blanketed the community.

Village Highway and Sanitation crews began salting and sanding the roads around midnight, and the snow began falling a few hours later.

The storm is expected to last through Friday morning. Mayor Ed Fare said that the village is calling this a "24-hour storm," meaning that crews will be rotated throughout the day to keep the roads clear.

"We stayed ahead of the storm, but then those gigantic snowflakes were coming down," Fare said. "It was way more than I thought."

During the afternoon, village crews will clear storm drains to make sure that the water from the changeover to rain storm has a place to go, and the streets don't freeze overnight.

The Henry Waldinger Library is open, but will close at 4 p.m. A Silver Threads senior Valentine's Day party at the Community Center was canceled.

Valley Stream schools closed for the third time this year. Initially, schools were going to be on a delayed opening, but the forecast got worse as the night went on. "It wasn't going to be safe for kids," District 13 Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Robb-Fund said. "It would not have been safe for anyone to get to school."

Kindergarten registration in District 24 for the Robert W. Carbonaro School was rescheduled for Feb. 27, from 9 to 11 a.m.

David Sabatino, owner of Sip This coffee shop on Rockaway Avenue, said that the snow was having an impact on his business. "It's a very slow day," he said shortly after noon on Thursday. "When any sort of precipitation is falling, especially snow, we get less customers."

Sabatino added that he does see an increase in business before and after major storms, but overall, he would prefers that the snow stay away.