Messy Monday as crews clear roads again

Back at it.

That was the theme for the Shelter Island Highway Department crews who were back on the streets and roads of the Island Monday.

Superintendent Jay Card Jr. said crews were deployed about 1 a.m. Monday to clear roads of light snow.

What made their work a little easier is that the “roads were down to pavement,”’ Mr. Card said, meaning the thoroughfares had been completely cleared from last week’s blizzard.

Crews were still plowing at 7 a.m., but soon would be putting down sand and salt. The only problem with that strategy is “washing,” Mr. Card said, or rain dispersing salt and sand not long after it’s put down.

Tonight could be difficult, Mr. Card said, with the dangers of a hard freeze.

As for this morning, “you can get around a bit, but be very careful,” Mr. Card said.

Yesterday evening the Shelter Island School District announced that the school’s opening would be delayed for two hours, beginning classes at 10 a.m.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for rain today, heavy at times, with temperatures rising to 41 degrees by 10 a.m. and then falling dramatically to 29 for the rest of Monday. Little or no ice is expected until this evening.