Storm to intensify with freezing rain, snow and sleet tonight

So far so good.  

That’s what Police Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Read said (adding, “Knock on wood”) about the snowstorm that’s been going non-stop since about 7 a.m. Sunday morning.

So far, there have been no emergencies. According to the Chief Read’s estimate, by mid-afternoon Sunday, more than 7 inches of snow had fallen. Another 6 or 7 inches is forecast before it’s all over by midday Monday.

Tonight will be the real test for the Island’s first responders, especially the Shelter Island Highway Department to clear snow and ice from Island roadways. Department Superintendent Ken Lewis Jr. said this afternoon that crews have been out from this morning on, clearing roads.

“We’ve been keeping up with it,” Mr. Lewis said. “We’ve been busy, but we’ll be even busier over the next 24 hours. It’s going to get messy later, with freezing rain in the forecast.”

So far, no power outages have been reported by PSEG, but that could change because of temperatures dropping followed by freezing moisture. That’s when tree limbs, heavy with ice, snap, fall onto powerlines and bring them down, Mr. Lewis said.

PSEG personnel are on the Island and will respond to any emergency, Mr. Lewis said. 

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), tonight there will be snow and sleet, and then freezing rain will move in between 1 and 5 a.m. More snow will follow, according to the NWS, with sleet coming down heavily at times.