Icy roads, heavy snow this morning prompt school closings across the area

Updated: 8:30 a.m. Even though it took longer for precipitation to change from rain to snow, the transition is happening across the East End this morning and heavy snow will fall through the morning into the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. With snowfall rates of an inch per hour likely, accumulations of four to seven inches are still being forecast and a winter storm warning remains in effect through 7 p.m.

The changeover is courtesy of an arctic front that will slide to the southeast this morning, according to the weather service. Temperatures will fall from the mid-30s, where they remained overnight, to the mid- to upper-20s later this morning and to the low 20s this afternoon, according to the NWS. The arctic front is expected to pass from northwest to southeast between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. EST. Road conditions are expected to deteriorate in its wake, the weather service said. Icy conditions and snow-covered roads are expected for the afternoon and evening commute as well.

Snowfall is expected to be heavy at times this morning and early afternoon, NWS forecasters say.

Snow should gradually taper off in intensity and coverage from northwest to southeast this afternoon, according to the forecast.

Highest snowfall totals will be across Long Island and NYC/NJ metro, where four to seven inches will accumulate before snow tapers off and comes to an end this afternoon and evening, according to the weather service. The forecast calls for two to five inches in coastal and southeastern Connecticut.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter has declared a winter storm emergency, effective from 9 this morning until 8 p.m.

“No parking is permitted on either side of any roadway during the winter storm emergency declaration between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.,” the declaration says. All Riverhead Town departments are authorized to take “whatever steps are necessary” to protect life, property and public infrastructure, it says.

Schools across the area are announcing closings this morning. See complete list here.

“At 600 a.m. EST… National Weather Service Doppler radar was tracking
moderate to locally heavy snow developing over the area. Snowfall rates of one half to one inch per hour and visibilities of one-half to one-quarter mile or less are expected to develop through 8 a.m.,” NWS said in a special weather statement.

“Temperatures dropping below freezing from mid-morning on will result in icing on untreated roads.

“Expect travel to become increasingly difficult through the morning rush.”

Low salt supplies pose additional problems for highway crews

Highway crews will be doing what they can to stretch scant road salt supplies, Riverhead Highway Superintendent George Woodson said. Riverhead was nearly out of salt yesterday before it took delivery of 120 tons, which isn’t nearly enough to treat roadways across town. The department will need to use the salt sparingly, reserving the material main roads and hills, he said. Woodson said he hopes the salt supply company will be able to deliver more to Riverhead today.

Atlantic Salt, which ships out of a waterfront depot in Staten Island, has struggled to supply salt to the region’s highway departments since the Jan. 26 blizzard, said Woodson, who serves as president of the Suffolk County Highway Superintendents Association . The company won the state bid for road salt and all the town and county highway and public works departments across Long Island, NYC, Westchester and Rockland have contracted with Atlantic for salt at the state contract price.

Woodson said Riverhead ordered 1,100 tons more than two weeks ago and has gotten small shipments “in dribs and drabs.” Southold Highway Superintendent Vincent Orlando and Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro told RiverheadLOCAL similar stories this week: their salt supplies are depleted; they don’t have enough to treat their town-maintained roads; and they have been having trouble getting salt deliveries for weeks, with large orders going unfulfilled. See March 3 story, “Officials face critical road salt shortage as winter storms approach — and no deliveries are in sight.”

With yesterday’s snow melt and overnight rainfall followed by plummeting temperatures and heavy snow, the scenario for highway crews low on salt couldn’t be worse, all three superintendents said yesterday.

Motorists are urged to use extra caution on area roads.

“If you must go out, drive slow and leave extra distance. Road conditions will be icy and hazardous during and after this storm,” Woodson said.