Thursday, October 1, 2026
Glen Cove Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck urged residents to stay off the roads and remain indoors as a powerful winter storm swept across Long Island, bringing heavy snowfall, icy conditions and widespread disruptions through Monday. Glen Cove saw 12 Monday morning.
“This is a Sunday to stay home—cook, do a puzzle, play games, and enjoy time at home. This one is serious,” Panzenbeck said in a post on the City of Glen Cove Office of the Mayor Facebook page.
She advised residents to park in their driveways, on their lawns where possible, or in Glen Cove’s downtown municipal parking lots and garages. Keeping streets clear, Panzenbeck said, allows snowplows to operate efficiently, helps maintain emergency routes and protects public works crews working through the storm. Residents were also encouraged to visit glencoveny.gov and sign up for emergency alerts for the latest updates.
The storm prompted school closures across the area. Om Sunday, Glen Cove Superintendent of Schools Dr. Alexa Doeschner announced that all schools would be closed Monday, Jan. 26, for students and staff due to the inclement weather. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency and urged residents to remain home unless travel was absolutely necessary.
“Stay home on Sunday if you can. We're talking about significant snow. We're talking about whiteouts. We're talking about freezing weather and wind. If you don't absolutely have to go out on Sunday, please stay home,” Blakeman said in a news release.
The county opened a warming center at 1200 Old Country Road in Westbury, stocked with blankets, ready meals and other necessities to assist residents in need of shelter during the storm.
Blakeman also issued a statement addressing reports that some travelers stranded abroad due to storm-related travel disruptions were facing price gouging and limited accommodations.
“Reports have indicated that because of travel issues with this storm some stranded travelers are being taken advantage of with price gouging and a lack of accommodations for families who are unable to return home from foreign countries,” Blakeman said, adding that he had alerted federal officials and urged foreign governments to protect U.S. citizens until travel could safely resume.
At the state level, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday as forecasters warned the storm would intensify from late Saturday night through Monday afternoon. Weather officials said heavy snow was expected across much of Long Island, with precipitation potentially mixing with sleet and freezing rain Sunday night, particularly closer to the coast.
Transportation services were significantly altered as conditions worsened. The Long Island Rail Road announced it would operate on a modified Sunday schedule. Half-hourly service was planned for the Babylon Branch, while hourly service would run on the Port Washington Branch and between New York City and Huntington on the Port Jefferson Branch. There would be no service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport, and trains from Grand Central to Massapequa were suspended. On Monday, the LIRR said it would continue operating on a regular Sunday schedule.
Rail officials said crews were positioned throughout the system to keep trains moving, with de-icing trains running to keep third rails clear and switch heaters activated to prevent freezing. Workers were also proactively de-icing station walkways and platforms.
PSEG Long Island officials said the utility was prepared to respond safely to potential power outages, noting that while powdery snow associated with extreme cold typically does not damage electrical equipment, icy roads and poor visibility could lead to vehicle collisions with utility poles. Michael Sullivan, vice president of electric operations, said crews had completed system and logistics checks to support timely restoration efforts.
