Someone had better ask Malverne Mel what happened, because that furry little groundhog predicted an early spring just over a month ago. Despite Mel's' forecast, a Nor'easter the likes of which the area hadn't seen in fifty years was what weather forecasters were calling for last Friday. The potential snowfall of up to three feet sent residents shopping: for food, shovels, flashlights--everything one would need for a storm of this magnitude. Store shelves were left bare as shoppers prepared for the worst, and stocked up on food and ice melt.
By Sunday night, the storm had not materialized, but weather experts said it was just developing more slowly than expected. On Monday, in anticipation of the Blizzard of '01, major airports in the area reported flight cancellations at around 80 percent. American and Delta suspended service entirely. Most tri-state area schools decided to close for the day.
But it only rained.
Icy snow finally began to fall around sunset on Monday, and the three feet of snow predicted was now going to amount to maybe six inches in Nassau County.
Tuesday saw schools closed again, but every major roadway was, for the most part, snow-free. Most side streets were plowed, salted and sanded thoroughly because, after all, road crews had already been applying sand and salt for wo days beforehand. Traffic was so light it was obvious that many had decided to take a four-day weekend.
Unfortunately, Denise Giunta's two days off as an office manager coincided with this week's snow storm.
"It's a day late, but at least the kids are having fun," she said. A resident of Waldo Street, East Rockaway, Giunta spent her morning growing accustomed to her slow plow. "I'm trying to figure this thing out, and it's not working!" She finally did get her snow plow working, and covered a Herald photographer with wet snow in the process.
Tyler Genden, 11, is a student at East Rockaway's Centre Avenue school, who spent his Tuesday morning shoveling snow throughout his neighborhood with his friend Frank. Together they made about $3 per driveway, depending on how much appreciative neighbors wanted to give for their time.
"This is probably it," they said, and agreed that Tuesday would be their last snow day.
The Herald caught up with Jean Keating, a plow operator for East Rockaway's Department of Public Works, as he stopped off at his house. How long had he been plowing for that morning?
"Since December, I guess," he answered. "We're all getting tired of it, it's down to three weeks, and it just won't break." East Rockaway workers started at about 7 p.m. Monday night, and put salt down first before plowing after midnight, when the snow began to stick.
Cathy Maziejka of East Rockaway had the day off, and spent the morning shoveling snow with her two children Scott, 10, and Kaitlin, 9.
"I'm tired of it," said Cathy, who works at Lynbrook's South Middle School, which has also been closed the last two days due to foul weather. "I've had enough. I'm ready for summer."
Let's just worry about making it to spring first, because more snow is predicted for Friday night into Saturday morning. For those who say they don't really hate it, get ready to dig out your icy, frozen newspapers. In the meantime, Malverne Mel had better watch out for poachers.
