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Thursday updates
Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared a State of Emergency for all of Long Island, Westchester and New York City.
The State of Emergency means that people should stay off the roads unless of an emergency or it’s otherwise absolutely necessary to travel.
Cuomo reportedly said the wind, which is only expected to intensify throughout the day, is making clearing roadways “almost impossible.”
JFK Airport is closed, MacArthur has cancelled all flights and LaGuardia has cancelled 95 percent of its flights as of noon on Thursday.
And the National Weather Service Blizzard Warning has been extended into Nassau County. Click here for the full Thursday morning storm briefing from the NWS.
Wednesday p.m. updates:
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for all of Suffolk County.
The warning runs from 1 a.m. Thursday through 1 a.m. Friday.
“Blizzard conditions expected,” the warning reads. “Travel will be very dangerous to impossible, including during the morning and evening commutes on Thursday. Damage to trees and power lines is possible.
“Unsecured Christmas decorations may be blown away or damaged. Total snow accumulation of 8 to 12 inches with locally higher amounts are expected.”
The Babylon, West Babylon and West Islip school districts will all be closed Thursday.
Wednesday a.m. article:
Suffolk County is bracing itself for the brunt of 2018’s first major snow storm.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning starting at 1 a.m. Thursday and running to midnight. The warning is in effect for Suffolk and southern Connecticut.
“Heavy snow and blowing snow expected,” the warning reads. “Blizzard conditions possible … Total snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches are expected, with higher amounts in excess of one foot possible.”
National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Pollina said the snow will continue through 6 p.m. Thursday, with a chance that it keeps snowing to midnight, but not steadily.
“If people are commuting to work on Thursday, it will definitely be snowing at that point,” Pollina said.
He predicted those areas of 12 inches would likely fall over the South Fork.
Wind gusts can reach as high as 50 mph, and the temperatures to follow the storm are being described by the NWS as “dangerous,” with wind chills as low as -5 to -15 late Thursday night into Friday morning, and -15 to -25 late Friday night into Saturday morning.
The high/low temperatures are 30/25 degrees on Wednesday, 26/11 on Thursday, 15/3 on Friday, and 12/5 on Saturday. Temperatures are forecast to reach into the mid-20s again Sunday.
There’s also a Coastal Flood Advisory in effect from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Babylon Village officials issued an advisory at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday saying it’s “imperative” that cars are removed from village roadways, so the streets can be plowed for emergency vehicles.
Residents are asked to remove any snow from around fire hydrants they can.
Also, garbage cans and portable basketball hoops must be at least 10 feet off the street and onto your property to help clear the way for plows. The village indicated it’s not responsible for damaged basketball hoops.
“Any emergency medical personnel who need assistance getting to Good Samaritan or Southside Hospital can call our after-hours phone number: (631) 894-2949,” the advisory reads.
with Nicholas Esposito
File Photo: The blizzard of February 2016 on Long Island. (Credit: Benny Migliorino)
