Shelter Island digs out from under heavy snow
Wednesday,
January 12, 2 p.m.
Shelter Island is digging out after a major snow storm dumped at least a foot of heavy snow on most parts of the Island.
Snowfall began around 9 p.m. Tuesday night and started as an icy mix. By Wednesday morning, about 8 to 10 inches had fallen in the Center and despite weather reports that the storm would soon move east, snow lingered and was still falling as this story was posted.
A few trees were knocked down by snow and wind and one isolated call of a power outage on West Neck Road was reported early in the day, according to the Shelter Island Police Department. Other than that, no major problems occurred during the storm.
Shelter Island was often on the edge of the snow/ice boundary of the storm, making for a wet snow that could not be easily swept away, and icy patches under snow-packed roadways. Front-end loaders and trucks with snow plow blades worked Wednesday to keep roads clear that continued to receive more snow throughout the day. Roads were slick — a hazard for drivers and walkers alike.
The Shelter Island School, Shelter Island Public Library and Town Hall were closed Wednesday.
Check this site throughout the weekend for more updates.
Tuesday, January 11, 7 p.m.
Shelter Island and most of New England prepared for another round of winter weather and this one was touted as the biggest yet this season.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for heavy snow Tuesday night into Wednesday afternoon. Predictions of snowfall amounts changed throughout the day; as much as 13 inches was predicted to accumulate overnight, the heaviest snowfall expected after midnight with several more inches possible on Wednesday.
In addition to snow advisories, gale and coastal storm warnings for Tuesday night and Wednesday were also forecast with gusts expected at 25 to 35 mph.
With the chance of precipitation at 100 percent along with subfreezing temperatures, government agencies and businesses — including the Reporter — prepared for a major mess on Wednesday. This issue of the Reporter went to press Tuesday night before the storm hit, instead of waiting for the usual Wednesday night press run.
Cross Sound Ferry cancelled all departures for Wednesday and the Hampton Jitney cancelled several bus runs Tuesday night. Wednesday train service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport was initially cancelled for Wednesday.
“We’re ready for the storm,” said Shelter Island Town Supervisor Jim Dougherty during Tuesday’s weekly work session at Town Hall. “It sounds more and more ominous.” He said that he and Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar would decide by 7:30 a.m. Wednesday whether to close Town Hall for the day.
Police Chief Jim Read, the town’s emergency preparedness coordinator, echoed the supervisor and said that Highway Department road crews have done a great job with the snows thus far and that LIPA power crews have been pre-deployed on the Island before each recent storm.
By Tuesday afternoon, over 100 Long Island schools and libraries had announced closings for Wednesday, including Greenport and Southampton. Shelter Island School announced that it would close Wednesday shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday night.
Residents were warned Tuesday by both the National Weather Service and Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco to stay off the roads except for emergencies and essential business services. “Inevitably, there will be serious accidents because some people failed to heed these warnings,” the Sheriff said in a statement to the press. “Stay inside and stay safe,” he added.
This is the fourth snow storm of the winter on Shelter Island. The first brought over a half a foot of snow on December 26, and two back-to-back storms blanketed the Island with about 3 inches each last Saturday and Sunday, January 7 and 8.