In A Region Filled With Massive Drifts, Official Snow Totals Top Out Around Two Feet

January 28, 2022February 17, 2022 Beth Young 0 Comments

This post is being updated throughout the storm — check back later as more details are posted.

Update: 8 a.m., Jan. 30:

Here are the latest snow totals from the National Weather Service: The top snowfall Saturday was reported at 25 inches by a citizen observer in Orient at 8 a.m. Sunday. 24.7 inches were reported by an official National Weather Observer at MacArthur Airport in Islip at 7 p.m. Saturday. 19.3 inches were reported by a member of the public in Remsenburg-Speonk at 3:20 p.m. Saturday. A trained spotter in Mattituck reported 18 inches of snow at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, while a trained spotter in Orient also reported 18 inches at 12:30 p.m. A National Weather Service employee in Riverhead reported 15.5 inches at 6:46 p.m., and a member of the public reported 10.8 inches in Jamesport at 2:30 p.m.

As of 8 a.m. there were nine active power outages affecting 93 customers in PSEG-Long Island’s coverage area, all of them in western Suffolk and Nassau counties, according to PSEG-LI’s Outage Map, which is continuously updated.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone is expected to give an update on the storm live on Facebook at 9:30 a.m.

Update 2 p.m., Jan. 29:

*Birds wait in line at a backyard feeder on Shelter Island Saturday morning. | Jeanne Merkel photo*

A trained spotter in Orient reported 18 inches of snow had fallen there as of 12:30 p.m. A National Weather Service employee in Riverhead reported 14.3 inches of snow as of 1 p.m. and a Cooperative Observer Network volunteer in Baiting Hollow reported 10 inches of snow as of 10 a.m. Saturday.

The National Weather Service reported at 12:28 p.m. that blizzard conditions were met this morning in Suffolk County and New London, Conn. Those conditions are blowing or falling snow, winds of at least 35 miles per hour, and visibility of a quarter-mile or less for at least three hours.

Update 10 a.m., Jan: 29:

Snowfall totals to date have begun to trickle in to the National Weather Service. A trained spotter in Orient reported 12 inches of snow as of 8 a.m. Saturday. Islip MacArthur Airport reported 10.3 inches at 7 a.m., a National Weather Service employee in Sound Beach reported 9.5 inches at 7:30 a.m. and the National Weather Service’s local headquarters in Upton reported 9 inches at 7 a.m.

The highest wind speed of 63 miles per hour was recorded at a WXFlow weather station in Napeague at 8:54 a.m. A WXFlow station at Great Gull Island, east of Plum Island, reported 55 mph winds at 8:40 a.m. A New York State weather station in Southold reported 51 mph at 8:15 a.m. The Montauk Airport reported 47 mph winds at 7:49 a.m. and a citizen weather observer in Orient reported a wind speed of 42 miles per hour at 7:37 a.m.

Update 9:15 a.m., Jan. 29:

“We’re in the heart of this storm, which is a very significant storm,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone in his Saturday morning briefing on the storm. “We’ve already had 9 to 10 inches, and predictions are it will be a little worse than we thought in terms of accumulations.”

Mr. Bellone said the west end of the county would likely see 12 to 18 inches of snow by the time the storm is done, with up to two feet of snow on the East End.

“There are not a lot of cars out there, which is great,” he said. “Many roads out there have been plowed multiple times, but there is not a road that does not have snow and ice on it. High winds and gusts are bringing snow right back on to the roadways, even if a plow has just passed by.”

Mr. Bellone said the worst of the storm is expected to be through the area by 2 p.m., but snow and winds will continue overnight, when we’re expecting wind chills below zero.

“Those temperatures will lock in ice and snow on the ground, creating hazardous conditions,” he said.

Mr. Bellone urged anyone experiencing an emergency involving their heating system to call 311.

Suffolk County Transit and passenger service on the Long Island Rail Road has been cancelled he said. The Fire Island Ferry will not run again until Monday. The Cross Sound Ferry will not be running today and the South Ferry to Shelter Island “is open on a limited basis.”

Update: 7:50 a.m., Jan. 29:

The Coastal Flood Advisory for the north shore, initially slated to end at 11 a.m. today, has been extended by the National Weather Service through midnight tonight. “Minor to locally moderate” flooding of 1 to 2 feet above ground level is still expected in low-lying, north-facing coastal areas.

“There is potential for more widespread minor coastal flooding along the southern and eastern bayfront communities of Long Island with the Sunday morning high tide,” according to the latest update at 3:21 a.m. Saturday.

Here are today’s high tides:

Jan. 29
Plum Gut Harbor: 6:56 a.m., 7:21 p.m.
Montauk Harbor: 6:04 a.m., 6:29 p.m.
Greenport: 7:33 a.m., 7:58 p.m.
Mattituck Inlet: 8:22 a.m., 9:01 p.m.
Sag Harbor: 7:28 a.m., 7:53 p.m.
New Suffolk: 8:55 a.m., 9:20 p.m.
South Jamesport: 9:02 a.m., 9:27 p.m.
Shinn. Bay Entrance: 6:06 a.m., 6:37 p.m.
Shinn. Inlet: 4:15 a.m., 4:46 p.m.

In addition to last night’s snowfall (we’re awaiting data on the accumulation), we’re now expecting daytime accumulations of 9 to 13 inches here today, with another 1 to 2 inches this evening as the storm tapers off. Snowfall totals are expected to be an inch or two higher at the far tip of the South Fork. The blizzard warning remains in effect until 7 p.m. tonight, with blizzard conditions expected this morning into early this afternoon. White-out conditions are likely at this time, as accumulations could range from 1 to 3 inches per hour.

Wind-driven powdery snow also has the potential to cause hazardous and perhaps impassible conditions along many of the open stretches of farmland along the East End’s main and minor travel routes.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone is expected to give an update on the storm at 8:30 a.m., which will be streamed live on his Facebook page.

As of 7:50 a.m., PSEG-LI’s Outage Map was reporting six active power outages across its service area on Long Island, affecting 12 customers.

Original Story, Jan. 28, 2022:

The East End and New London, Conn. are under a blizzard warning from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday, as the powerful winter storm dubbed “Kenan” by the Weather Channel is expected to drop 13 to 17 inches of snow across the region.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the National Weather Service warned in its Blizzard Warning Statement Friday afternoon. “The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute. Strong winds could cause tree damage.”

Sustained winds of 32 to 37 miles per hour are expected locally during the height of the storm Saturday, with gusts as high as 55 miles per hour and wind chill values between zero and 10 degrees.

There is also a Coastal Flood Advisory in effect during high tide from 3 to 11 a.m. Saturday morning “in vulnerable north shore communities of the twin forks of LI, north shore of LI and nort facing barrier island communities,” according to the National Weather Sercie, which predicts “minor to locally moderate flooding” of 1 to 2 feet above ground level in low-lying north-facing areas.

Below are the high tides for Saturday, Jan. 29:

Here’s the National Weather Service’s latest briefing on the storm.

East Hampton Town has declared all town facilities, and town-sponsored testing for Covid-19 will be cancelled on Saturday. East Hampton Town shared the following tips for weathering a winter storm.

Southold Town has announced that the town transfer station in Cutchogue will be closed on Saturday, along with all recreational programs and buildings.

A non-medical, special needs shelter for at-risk elderly will be on standby in case of power outages. Those in need of emergency shelter can call the Southold Town Police Department at 631.765.2600 for assistance.

To report downed wires and other emergencies, call PSEG-LI at 1.800.490.0075.

Electric outages can be reported online here.

To communicate with PSEG-LI via text, text “REGISTER” to the number 773454 to register, and text “OUT” to that number if your power goes out.

Local towns and villages are asking residents to remove their vehicles from the roadways, as is required during a snow emergency, and are asking store owners to clear the sidewalks in front of their stores.

Fire hydrants will also need to be dug out by willing volunteers throughout local communities. Fire safety officials recommend making sure furnace vents near the ground are clear of snow, and remind residents never to operate a generator in an enclosed space, or within 20 feet of a window to an enclosed space due to the risk of death from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Stay tuned here for storm updates throughout the day Saturday.