Weather

2017's first winter storm drops half-foot of snow across the South Shore

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Snow started falling across the South Shore two hours earlier than expected on Saturday, with the first flakes hitting the ground around 9 a.m.

By darkness at 5 p.m., more than half a foot of snow had fallen in many parts of the South Shore, and the storm was not expected to let up until 10 or 11 p.m, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm made for messy streets, including major thoroughfares like Merrick Road. Officials were urging people to stay at home if possible to allow snow plows and sanders to clear streets. A number of accidents and near-misses were spotted on roads across the region.

Early in the day, the weather service issued a Winter Storm Warning for Nassau and Suffolk counties, effective from the morning of Jan. 7 into the early morning of Jan. 8.

High schools canceled afternoon games, and a number of libraries reported early closings.

Temperatures were predicted to drop into the teens overnight between Saturday and Sunday. Visibility was less than a quarter mile. Winds blew at 10 to 20 miles per hour, with gusts up to 30 miles per hour.

Still, kids managed to get out in the storm and have some fun sledding, and the snow did make for picturesque scenes across the South Shore.