Live updates: State of emergency declared on Long Island as blizzard ramps up

Blakeman: Only essential vehicles permitted on Nassau County roadways

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Sunday he has banned "all nonessential vehicles" on roads in Nassau County from 9 p.m. Sunday night until 9 a.m. Monday morning.

Earlier Sunday, in making the announcement, Blakeman defined essential vehicles as those operated by municipal workers, doctors, nurses, hospital workers, and other essential personnel.

Just before 6 p.m. heavy snow continued to fall in Nassau and Suffolk County, with close to white-out conditions in downtown Huntington and only a few brave motorists on the roads.

State of emergency declared in Nassau, Suffolk, 20 other counties

A total of 22 counties, including Nassau and Suffolk, are currently under a state of emergency, according to Gov. Kathy Hochu's office.

Nassau and Suffolk executives Bruce Blakeman and Edward P. Romaine have also declared local states of emergencies.

Korbel: Travel will be difficult to impossible

Blizzard conditions, with blowing snow and winds topping 50 mph, will make travel difficult or impossible for the duration of the storm, according to Newsday meteorologist Bill Korbel.

"This one, I am pretty sure is going to be the worst one of the winter, and maybe the worst one we've seen here in a few years," Korbel said in a weather update on NewsdayTV.

Between a foot to 20 inches of snow is in the forecast for most of Long Island through Monday and visibility will drop below a quarter of a mile. There is the potential for major coastal flooding, Korbel said.

"This storm has all the makings of being a really bad one," he said.

How to prepare for snow and extreme cold weather

From important numbers you should know to advice on how to safely shovel snow, here's Newsday's guide to keeping your homes, your pets and yourselves safe during extreme winter weather.

Art show canceled but Shinnecock painter, 92, displays her work, talks process

Even though the worst of the snowstorm had yet to arrive by Sunday afternoon, anticipation of the blizzard had an affect on cultural events.

In Southampton Village, a two-month showing of the paintings of Gloria Smith at the Southampton Culture Center was to conclude with a reception Sunday afternoon. The event was canceled but Smith, 92, a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, had some of the paintings on display in her studio on the Shinnecock Nation territory.

Surrounded by her son, Germain Smith, a former trustee of the Nation, and two granddaughters, she described how art has always had a place in her life, painting flowers as a young girl and taking up painting full time when she retired in her 80s.

As the wind picked up around her studio Sunday, Gloria Smith discussed how native themes and culture are a part of all her work, and how she's inspired and taken inspiration from her children and grandchildren. The work keeps her active, including on snowy days.

"Most people my age they don't think about doing anything except sitting in a chair," she said.

Storm forces closure of federal courts

Federal courthouses in Brooklyn, Central Islip, Manhattan, White Plains and Poughkeepsie will be closed Monday because of the snowstorm.

Lawyers and their clients should check the docket for case schedule updates.

Potential federal jurors have been instructed to report for duty on Tuesday and call the phone number on their jury summons after 5 p.m. on Monday for the latest instructions.

Firefighters staying overnight in Nassau, Fire Marshal says

Nassau County Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said many of the 70 volunteer fire departments across the county will require some firefighters to stay overnight into Monday so they can quickly respond to fires, downed trees or power lines and stranded residents

Uttaro urged people to only call 911 for serious emergencies and to follow the travel ban — which begins in Nassau and Suffolk at 9 p.m. and continues until 9 a.m. on Monday. He said motorists venturing out on roadways risk becoming stranded, hampering firefighters' rescue efforts and ability to respond to potential fires.

"You going out on the road only amplifies the problem," Uttaro said.

Residents can help by making sure their house numbers remain visible in the snow and by clearing a three-foot circumference around fire hydrants so they are accessible.

Earlier this month, a spate of seven fires broke out in a 13-hour period in Nassau County, which authorities said were associated with heating as well as unattended cooking, candles and smoking. 

Courts closed Monday in Nassau and Suffolk, arraignments in NYC

Courthouses in Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as most in New York City, will be closed Monday because of the blizzard.

Criminal Court arraignments will be begin at 2 p.m. in the city's five boroughs. All other city courts will be closed.

For emergency applications in Supreme Court civil cases, parties should call (800) 430-8457, or email emergency@nycourts.gov. There will be no jury selection, so prospective jurors need not report to court on Monday. The First and Second Department Appellate Divisions, in Manhattan and Brooklyn respectively, are also closed.

Suffolk County Water Authority activates emergency reponse plan

The Suffolk County Water Authority has initiated its emergency response action plan in preparation for the storm.

Field crews are on standby, phone operators are at the ready to field calls and monitoring showed Sunday that all critical systems are operational, the authority said.

PSEG Long Island calls in outside crews to help with power outages

PSEG Long Island said it has called in hundreds of outside crews to work alongside its own personnel in case of outages from the storm’s expected high winds.

NewsdayTV meteorologist Bill Korbel has said winds could top 50 mph on Long Island.

The utility, which runs the grid for LIPA under contract, has more than 600 of its own PSEG high- and low-voltage line workers, tree trimmers and damage surveyors at the ready, and has called in 260 more from outside.

All crew members will work in 16-hour shifts to restore any outages, PSEG Long Island said, adding that severe damage could lead to outages beyond 24 hours. Anyone who loses power should call 1-800-490-0075.

School districts granted waivers to close Monday, state says

The New York State Education Department has granted waivers for some school districts to close on Monday, without remote instruction for students and without necessarily having to make up the day later.

Under normal conditions, schools are required to be in session 180 days each year in order to receive their full allocation of state aid. But the law allows the education department to disregard that requirement if the closure was due to "extraordinarily adverse weather conditions" during a state of emergency.

Gordon Tepper, a spokesperson for Gov. Kathy Hochul, said an emergency declaration by itself is not sufficient for schools to miss days without making them up.

"Schools need to apply to [the state education department] for a waiver from the minimum instruction day requirement," Tepper told Newsday in a text message.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Sunday afternoon that city schools had already received a waiver from the state.

Snow not enough to keep diners away from Malverne eatery

As light snow descended on Malverne, most of the booths at Our Town Grille were filled with customers Sunday afternoon, many sipping on orange juice, others chowing down on bacon, eggs and other breakfast staples.

The retro vibe luncheonette was seeing pedestrians coming by along with groups of four or five before the worst of the storm came, surprising the establishment’s owners.

“It ain’t fit for man nor beast, and here they are,” said owner Richard Fisichello, while joking with customers seated at the bar area. “So, the local people came.”

To entice more customers amid the storm, the owners created a winter weather special that includes items such as grilled portobello mushrooms and French toast.

“It’s been a very good day” and “people are in good spirits,” said Jerry Carter, also an owner of the luncheonette.

Around the area, people sprinkled in and out of businesses, leading to a line at local deli. Some people picked sweet treats at a bakery. Others found their way into a nearby Irish pub.

Reduced LIRR service on Port Jefferson, Port Washington and Babylon branches

Beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday, LIRR service will be reduced to hourly on the Port Jefferson and Port Washington branches, and every half-hour on the Babylon branch, the MTA said.

Earlier on Sunday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that all service on the Long Island Rail Road will shut down at 1 a.m. on Monday.

NYC Transit will continue to run modified service throughout the storm. according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Express service will operate on local subway tracks. Beginning on Sunday evening, modified service will be in effect in the Rockaways, the MTA said.

"Crews are monitoring switches and tracks to ensure they are working properly, along with salting and clearing snow from elevated station platforms, exposed stairs and subway entrances," the MTA said in a statement. "Field personnel are staged at critical locations including stations and yards, ready to deploy and respond to snow conditions."

Crews at the ready to fix power outages but Hochul urges patience

More than 6,000 utility workers are ready to respond to power outages related to the storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday, but she urged people to be patient if they lose power because repairs can take some time.

Those planning to venture out should "keep track of your local forecast" and travel bans, she said.

Anyone can text 333111 to get local emergency weather updates.

We have plenty of salt in our stockpiles" for spreading on roads, Hochul added at a news conference in Albany.

LIRR service will be suspended at 1 a.m. Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul says

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday that all Long Island Rail Road service will be suspended, beginning at 1 a.m. Monday.

Hochul spokesperson Gordon Tepper said the suspension will last at least until the "morning rush."

State police will help enforce travel bans on all nonessential vehicles in Nassau and Suffolk counties from 9 p.m. Sunday through at least 9 a.m. Monday, the governor said at a news conference in Albany. Both counties had announced the travel bans earlier Sunday.

Hochul said she has also deployed 100 members of the National Guard, with 25 vehicles, to Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley, to help with any rescues and to assist medical and other essential workers getting to their jobs. More than 2,000 state plows were salting and preparing roads for the storm.

"Whatever you need, any groceries, any medicines you need to be refilled at the pharmacy, any pet food you need to have — do it right now, because ... you may not be on the roads after nine o'clock tonight," the governor said.

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At Hicksville Dunkin, lots of doughnuts, fewer customers

Nafi Chowdhury, a crew member at the Dunkin’ on Newbridge Road in Hicksville, said business was a little slower than usual Sunday. With the worst of the snowstorm still to come, Chowdhury said he would likely put down some salt before leaving work Sunday evening.

On Monday, he said he planned to take an MTA Express bus from his home in Queens to Manhattan, where he works as a tax accountant during the week.

“I just started, so I’m not eligible for remote work,” Chowdhury, 29, said. “I normally take the express bus, which is good. I think that it’ll work.”

Travel bans in both counties tonight

Nassau and Suffolk counties are banning nonessential vehicles from traveling beginning at 9 p.m. tonight and lasting through 9 a.m. on Monday morning.

Essential vehicles include plow operators, others operated by critically needed municipal workers, and hospital personnel.

Snowstorm no problem for this LIRR commuter

Despite the looming snowstorm Sunday, Jihye Seo, 32, kept a business-as-usual outlook. She sang in the choir at Yale Korean Presbyterian Church choir in Hicksville.

Later Sunday, Seo said, she'll teach music remotely to her clients. She struck an optimistic tone, comparing the latest forecasts to the snowstorm in January, while waiting in the cold Sunday afternoon for a train at the Long Island Rail Road's Hicksville Station.

"I don’t think it’s going to be as bad, because temperatures are going to be so much higher," she said

Still, Seo was going to be spending the rest of the day in Wantagh at the home of her boyfriend’s parents, who she said were more unnerved by the weather.

"I really don’t care," she said, as the snowfall outside the station started to intensify.

NICE Bus suspending service at 9 p.m.

NICE Bus is suspending service from 9 p.m. tonight until at least 9 a.m. on Monday. Earlier delays or suspensions are possible.

A determination about whether the 9 a.m. Monday resumption is possible will be made on Monday morning. The NICE GoMobile app has real-time info.

Suffolk County Transit bus service stops at 4 p.m. Sunday

Suffolk County Transit service is scheduled to shut down at 4 p.m. on Sunday and remain suspended Monday, according to a statement from the office of County Executive Ed Romaine.

Service is scheduled to resume Tuesday with an expected delayed start at 10 a.m.

Updates can be found on the Suffolk County Transit website or @sctbusinfo on X.

Mineola bar staying open during storm

The Recovery Room Bar & Grill in Mineola will more than live up to its name during the snowstorm.

Joa Zee, a bartender at the establishment, said they will stay open all day and into the evening for those in need of a break from the expect blizzard — and she predicted there will be plenty of customers.

She said the bar had been full of people during January’s storm.

"People don’t want to be locked in at home while things are going down," she said. "They want to be a part of something."

By 11:30 a.m. Sunday, as the U.S. men’s hockey team celebrated its Olympics victory, there was already one patron sitting at the bar watching on a television.

Mamdani: New York City school closed Monday

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said a blizzard in the forecast means the "first old school snow day since 2019." Translation for children across all five boroughs? No school on Monday, which also applies to remote learning.

As for Tuesday, no decision had been made, Mamdani said.

"Your mission, should you choose to accept it," the mayor said with tongue planted firmly in cheek, "is to stay cozy."

Mamdani also announced a travel ban in the city from 9 p.m. Sunday to noon Monday, closing streets, highways and bridges.

The ban applies to "all traffic, cars, trucks, scooters and e-bikes, with some specific exemptions for essential and emergency movement," he said at a news conference Sunday.

King Kullen, Wild by Nature stores closing early

King Kullen and Wild by Nature grocery stores will close early Sunday at 7 p.m., the chain’s senior vice president, Lloyd Singer, announced Sunday morning. The stores are expected to open late on Monday morning.

"This temporary closure allows us to help ensure the safety and well-being of our employees and customers," Singer said in a statement.

Suffolk issues travel ban beginning at 9 p.m.

Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine on Sunday issued a travel ban for Suffolk County beginning at 9 p.m. Sunday through 9 a.m. Monday, his office announced.

The ban does not apply to essential workers and plow operators, the statement said.

Romaine's office had earlier said that the ban would apply to 9 p.m. on Monday.

School closures on Monday

Many school districts and other educational programs on Long Island have announced closures for Monday.

You can find your district or program here.

Mass transit impacts expected

The MTA is warning that the storm may have severe impacts on the Long Island Rail Road.

But before the snow began, on Sunday morning, the LIRR was operating mostly on or close to schedule.

Many flights arriving at the airports on Sunday were canceled.

At Kennedy Airport, 63% of arrivals and 42% of departing flights were canceled as of 10 a.m., according to the website FlightAware.

At LaGuardia, 62% of arrivals and 46% of departures were canceled.

Fifteen inbound and outbound flights at Long Island MacArthur Airport were canceled Sunday as of about 11 a.m. Another seven were delayed, according to the Ronkonkoma airport's website.

Blizzard warning takes effect at 1 p.m.

A blizzard warning will be in effect beginning Sunday at 1 p.m. and continuing into Monday afternoon across the tristate area, with snowfall and road conditions that could greatly limit travel and disrupt normal life well into Tuesday, forecasters said.

The blizzard conditions will bring heavy snow, with accumulations of up to two feet expected, along with high winds and whiteout conditions that are expected to cause "dangerous to impossible travel" from Sunday night through Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service said. 

Forecasters expect strong-to-damaging wind gusts Sunday night into Monday afternoon.

The blizzard "will be a rapidly strengthening storm," said Brian Frugis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Albany.