Highway Department crews battling the blizzard: No power outages so far

At 4:30 a.m., Monday, Highway Department Superintendent Ken Lewis Jr. said crews were battling a blizzard of heavy snow with the wind “blowing like hell out here.” According to the National Weather Service, Mr. Lewis was correct, with the NWS reporting winds across the East End from the northeast at 33 to 36 mph, with gusts as high as 60 mph.

Some good news: At 5 a.m., PSEG was reporting no power outages on the Island and there had been only one tree down, in Hay Beach, which the highway crews quickly cleared. But that was now, Mr. Lewis said,  and with the wind picking up, the nor’easter could inflict real damage through the rest of Monday.

At 5 a.m., Monday, Emergency Medical Services Chief Mark Kanarvogel reported that there had been no overnight ambulance calls. Chief Jim Read, Emergency Management Coordinator for Shelter Island, said at 5:30 a.m. that there had been one accident reported Sunday night when a truck hit a stop sign. There were no injuries but over $1,000 in damage.

“Shelter Islanders are storm-hardy, but it is essential that everyone stay off the roads” for their own and others safety and to allow highway crews to get the roadways clear, the chief said.

The Town’s Snow Emergency will be extended until 6 p.m. on Monday, he added. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine has issued a travel ban for Suffolk County — except for essential workers and plow operators — beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday through 9 a.m., Monday.

Highway crews had been on Shelter Island roadways “since the jump,” Mr. Lewis said, when the storm started to accelerate around 7 p.m., Sunday. Early Monday morning,  Mr. Lewis estimated there was close to a foot of snow on the ground, but he was looking at reports that from 4 to 8 a.m. the storm would intensity further.  “And with the wind, drifts will be a real problem,” he added.

It’s difficult work he said, with “terrible visibility” and heavy blowing snow that’s hard to move. “The guys are doing a fantastic job,” Mr. Lewis said.

The Island is shut down for Monday, with all Town offices closed, except for emergency managers, and the shool and library closed.When the blizzard moves off, expected sometime late afternoon or early evening Monday, the NWS is predicting a total snowfall of about 2 feet.