Plainview Digs Out; Most Roads Passable but Slick

Plainview residents are digging out from a major winter storm that crippled most of the Metropolitan area Sunday and Monday.

Most Plainview roads have been plowed and the main thoroughfares are mostly cleared. Driving remains treacherous in spots because of  blowing and drifting snow.

A shortage of mail carriers and late-arriving in-coming mail trucks have resulted in the suspension of mail service Monday in some parts of Long Island, including Plainview. The Plainview Post Office is open, but is unlikely to be able to deliver mail today. The mail truck hadn't come, a postal official said.

The Oyster Bay Post Office opened late. A postal delivery truck was unable to make its drop to the area, a postal official said, and the handful of carriers who were able to report for work were sent home.

Under clearing skies, Plainview residents ventured out to continue the big dig. Officials still urged non-emergency personnel to stay indoors and not venture out until conditions improve. Because of dropping temperatures, road conditions are likely to deteriorate this evening.

Incoming and outgoing flights to the three metropolitan airports, LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark, were cancelled. Flight operations are expected to resume sometime Monday night, but massive delays are expected. The Long Island Rail Road also resumed limited service on its lines. Many New York City Subway lines are shut down. Some had severe service disruptions Monday morning, including the 7 and the A.

Here in Plainview, plows have come through some of Plainview's sidestreets, but the effect has been to plow some cars parked on the streets. The streets around the hilly eastern sections of the town are much improved from the morning. The community's main arteries are passable but slick in places.

Trio Hardware in the Morton Village Shopping Plaza is open and doing a brisk business of selling shovels, rock salt and other snow-related supplies and equipment. The manager, Bruce, said there is also high demand for two-cycle snowblower oil.

The was closed Monday because of the weather.

There were no reports of accidents or injuries as of mid-afternoon Monday, athough county-wide, numerous accidents have been reported. The Long Island Expressway and the Northern State Parkway were plowed to the road surface, with traffic moving through the Plainview area slowly.

Nassau County set up a non-emergency hotline (888) 684-4274 for residents to call if they need help with snow-related situations–such as downed trees or plowing issues–that are not life-threatening, said County Executive Ed Mangano. 

Oyster Bay officials also announced that sanitation and recycling has been suspended for Monday and will be performed on residents' next scheduled day.

Town Ice rink programs, community and youth activities including senior and shopping trips have been canceled through Monday as have activities at the Hicksville Athletic Center. 

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for all of Long Island that is in effect until 6 p.m. Monday. The NWS predicted accumulations of  11 to 16 inches of snow. Forecasters say Long Islanders may even hear thunder during the storm.