Snow blanketed Rockville Centre and the rest of Long Island throughout the day Sunday, with about 10 inches on the ground by sundown, village officials said.
Forecasters were calling for 8 to 12 inches of accumulation through Monday. Freezing rain eventually mixed with the snow by mid-afternoon, creating hazardous conditions throughout the village.
The Rockville Centre School District announced that schools will be closed Monday due to the storm and the Rockville Centre Public Library was closed Sunday because of the inclement weather. “The Piano Men: A Tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John,” originally scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed to Feb. 22 at 2 p.m., according to the library’s website.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the area, forecasting heavy snowfall, strong winds and dangerously cold temperatures. Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday for Long Island, while Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine issued similar declarations for their respective counties.
“We are preparing for the worst,” Blakeman said Friday. He noted that Nassau County’s warming center at 1200 Old Country Road in Westbury will remain open and monitored 24/7, stocked with blankets, ready meals and other necessities, and will continue operating “until we determine the cold is gone.”
In Rockville Centre, village officials said preparations were well underway to ensure public safety and allow snow-removal crews to operate efficiently as the storm continues through Monday. According to village spokesperson Julie Grilli, the Department of Public Works began preparing for the storm Wednesday and started salting roadways at 5 a.m. Sunday, ahead of plowing operations.
Additional salt has been ordered, and the village currently has about 1,500 tons stored in its new shed.
Once snowfall reached approximately 3 to 4 inches, DPW crews began plowing village-owned roads — a process that involves multiple rounds across 13 plow sections using 17 trucks — according to the village website. County- and state-owned roads, including Long Beach Road, Hempstead Avenue, Merrick Road, Peninsula Boulevard and Sunrise Highway, are handled by Nassau County and New York State crews.
“DPW crews are working diligently to ensure the safety of our roadways, which include 53 miles of streets, 30 parking fields and all village-owned sidewalks,” Grilli wrote in a text.
Residents are urged to fully comply with village snow-emergency rules. Street parking is prohibited during the storm to allow plows to clear roadways, and vehicles left on the street may be ticketed. Basketball hoops must be removed from curb strips or laid flat and may not be placed in the roadway at any time.
Village officials also reminded residents that it is against local code to shovel or blow snow into the street, citing hazardous conditions for motorists and plows. Property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks within 24 hours of the storm’s end, including sidewalks on corner properties and access ramps, and for keeping fire hydrants fully accessible for emergency responders.
With heavy snow and high winds expected, officials warned that power outages are possible due to falling trees and limbs. Rockville Centre’s Electric Department responds to outages and emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Residents can report outages by emailing ElectricOutage@rvcny.us or by calling 516-766-5800, and are reminded never to approach downed wires, which should always be assumed to be live.
Village officials cautioned that if conditions become severe, crews may experience delays in safely responding to outages or other emergencies, and urged residents to remain patient. For time-sensitive alerts and storm updates, residents are encouraged to download the free MYRVC mobile app or sign up for Swift911 notifications.
Village officials thanked residents for their cooperation and urged everyone to stay home, avoid unnecessary travel and stay safe as the storm continues.
The story will be updated if necessary.
