Balmy Monday? Not really, but relief is on the way
While temperatures remained at below freezing on Monday, Islanders might well have experienced it as balmy compared with what they faced in the wake of a snow storm that reportedly dumped between 12 and 14 inches of snow here Thursday and high winds that made it feel between -10 to -20 degrees over the weekend.
The National Weather Service is reporting rising temperatures throughout the week in the mid to high 30s until Friday, when it could reach 50 degrees.
Highway Superintendent Jay Card Jr. said it was “hard to gauge the exact snow amounts because of the drifting that was constant because of the heavy winds. But he said his crew members mentioned that 10 to 12 inch estimate that he thinks is likely correct.
By Monday, he was watching what looks like a fast moving storm expected to hit Shelter Island around 5 p.m., but hoping it will be no more than a dusting.
His one concern on Monday was he was running low on salt and expecting six loads to be delivered today.
Just before Christmas, the town Highway Department had undergone a Suffolk County inspection of its facilities. Mr. Card was told that Shelter Island isn’t supposed to be using salt here and, therefore, the barn where it is stored failed to meet standards.
He said then his crew mixes sand with salt, keeping the salt content as low as possible. But he thinks the county’s report was “just a formality” and that the town will be putting in for a waiver to allow it to continue to store salt for use in emergency situations.
Emergency Medical Services responder Mark Kanarvogel said what works effectively on the Island is when he an emergency call comes in during such a storm, the Highway and Police departments also respond to ensure EMS staff can access houses.
The Highway Department crew has cleared driveways and even removed snow from a lawn in order to gain access, Mr. Kanarvogel said.
“It’s a joint effort,” he said.
The Island sustained few electrical outages, but a PSEG crew stationed here during the storm were kept busy answering calls where they discovered reports had come from part-time residents living off-Island who had been notified of outages by Cablevision, and assumed there was an electrical outage.
PSEG workers braved the blinding snow and winds to visit house after house, only to discover no one was home and there was no problem with electrical power, according to Police Chief Jim Read.
“We were fortunate that there were no actual power outages that I am aware of although there were several reported,” the chief said. He credited PSEG maintenance efforts with shoring up transmission lines and replacing poles helping to keep the power on during storms.
“That is a credit to their operation,” Chief Read said. PSEG also should be credited with the long-standing tradition of pre-staffing before significant storms, he said.
He also credited the highway crews who “did an excellent job of clearing the roadways both during and after the storm.”
Customers should always report when they observe a wire down, PSEG spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler said. But when customers receive notices from other service providers and have to dispatch workers to check out potential problems, PSEG has to pull resources from what could be a real emergency in other areas, she said.
The Reporter has been unable to reach a Cablevision spokesperson.
