Oceanside and Island Park began digging out on Monday after a powerful storm blanketed the South Shore with more than a foot of snow, forcing widespread closures but causing only limited damage, according to local officials.
By Monday afternoon, snowfall totals in both communities had surpassed 15 inches. The snow was predicted to end by Monday evening, leaving road crews to work overnight to finish clearing major thoroughfares and residential streets.
Due to the storm, Nassau County imposed a temporary travel ban on Monday, and County Executive Bruck Blakeman urged residents to stay off the roads unless travel was absolutely necessary.
“It’s treacherous out there — we need time for our workers to continue to plow roadways,” Blakeman said.
In Oceanside, town and county plows made multiple passes through main roads before turning their attention to neighborhood blocks. Most primary roads were expected to be passable by Tuesday morning, with side streets and parking remaining snow-covered and narrowed by high snowbanks.
Blakeman said that 75 county trucks had been deployed beginning early Sunday to salt roads ahead of the storm, with plows dispatched once snowfall reached roughly 3 inches. Crews expected to continue operations through the night Monday to address drifting snow and icy conditions.
Residents reported seeing plows in their neighborhoods, though many said significant shoveling remained to be done amid continuing snow and strong winds.
“May it be the last of the season — melting quickly and promptly be greeted by plows ready to clear our streets,” Oceanside resident Seth Blau had said ahead of the storm.
Another Oceanside resident, Mark Greenberg, summed up the aftermath. “Fresh snow is beautiful and fun,” he said. “Shoveling sucks.”
Despite concerns about infrastructure strain, there were no reports of water main breaks in either Oceanside or Island Park as of Monday afternoon. Oceanside resident Rob Keilson, who had expressed worry that another major storm could stress aging systems, said he was relieved that major disruptions appeared to have been avoided.
“As long as everyone is careful shoveling and driving, this too shall pass,” Keilson said.
Power outages were limited and sporadic, according to utility updates. A handful of homes in Oceanside briefly lost electricity on Sunday night due to snow-laden branches weighing on lines, but service was largely restored on Monday. Island Park reported no significant outage clusters.
Schools in both communities were closed on Monday and Tuesday, as conditions deteriorated into the early morning. In Oceanside, Superintendent Phyllis Harrington had announced a proactive closure of all schools “to ensure the safety of all students and staff,” noting that all extracurricular and DOCA activities were canceled as well.
In Island Park, Francis X. Hegarty Elementary School and Lincoln Orens Middle School, including the UPK program, were closed Monday. Public libraries in Oceanside and Island Park also suspended operations, and officials said they would assess the conditions on Tuesday, and prepare to resume normal hours.
Forecasters had warned that the system could become one of the most powerful storms of the season, prompting blizzard warnings and states of emergency across the metropolitan area. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Blakeman both declared states of emergency, allowing for coordinated response efforts and resource deployment.
While heavy snowfall and gusty winds met blizzard criteria at times overnight Sunday into Monday, the storm did not produce the coastal flooding some had feared. A coastal flood watch had been issued for the South Shore, but low-lying areas of Oceanside and Island Park avoided significant inundation.
Though it was disruptive, the storm ultimately passed without major catastrophe in either community. For residents, the focus as the week went on was on the cleanup — and hopes that winter’s most punishing weather was finally behind them.
