PM UPDATE: Plainview Digs Out; Surprise Storm Closes Schools, Slickens Roads; Plow Breaks Hydrant

Plainview is digging out after a major winter storm launched a surprise attack from the ocean and buried Long Island.

Plainview got close to a foot of snow Thursday, closing schools and leaving roadways treacherous. The was closed as well. The situation is steadily improving this afternoon.

It's not easy, however:

Brian Diemicke's car on Midwood Drive got stuck in a drift after trying to escape his driveway without shoveling.

“I figured it wouldn’t be a problem with the 4 wheel drive,” he said. “There’s too much snow piled up under the middle and it’s stuck.”

Plainview's Zelda Polofsky got some help from two "very nice young ladies." She teaches Hebrew School locally and was "just as thrilled as the kids that the school was closed." She was hoping to get out this afternoon from her home on Eva Lane "just to get out of the house."

Meanwhile, the  is reporting delays on both the Ronkonkoma and Port Jefferson lines. Both run through Hicksville. Passengers are being urged to leave extra time and exercise caution on LIRR platforms. The afternoon commute is expected to have delays and cancellations. The railroad cancelled multiple trains this morning. Several cancellations involved trains running on the two lines -- Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma -- through Hicksville station.

The Long Island Expressway and the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway were snow covered and moving at a crawl this morning. The exit ramps were simply a mess during the morning commute. A on the LIE at midday, but it was not clear if the accident was weather-related.

Plainview's major arteries, including Old Country and South Oyster Bay roads, had 2" of frozen blown snow on their surfaces and were very slippery Thursday morning. Motorists reported similar conditions on Manetto Hill and Central Park roads.

Large berms obstructed some intersections and even main roads. Some had been caused by private plow drivers who had pushed snow from parking lots onto the main roads, a motorist reported.

A fire hydrant was broken apart on Washington Avenue this morning, leaving an icy pool of water along the roadside. A plow is the likely suspect, authorities said. 

The National Weather Service only began calling for the big storm Wednesday afternoon, when a small system combined with a much bigger one and left Plainview an icy mess Wednesday night.

The called off classes early Thursday.

was urging drivers to park in driveways.  Oyster Bay spokeswoman Phyllis Barry said  that 95 percent of the town roads had been cleared by noon with the rest expected to be completed by afternoon.

Once again, private contractors were called in to clear town commuter lots, as they were for the last major snow storm.

The Town closed its two out door skating rinks at Syosset-Woodbury and .  The indoor rink in Bethpage is open, but Puck Shoot events scheduled for 3:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. were cancelled.

Check back frequently with for updates on conditions and other results from the latest winter blast.