First snowstorm of 2015 hits Long Island

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As the snow continued to fall fast and furious Monday afternoon, Malvernites received a call from their mayor, informing residents of the governor's declaration of a state of emergency. Several hours later, the Malverne Police Department issued a text message that the village had also declared a state of emergency.

"The village and the heads of the various village departments, including the police, the fire department, the ambulance corps all met to discuss the emergency action plan and to ensure all equipment and manpower were ready to confront the storm," said Chief John Aresta. 

The first major snowstorm of 2015 had officially made its debut.

All overnight parking permits were canceled and street parking was not permitted anywhere in Malverne after 9 p.m.  

Governor Cuomo imposed a travel ban on all major roadways as of 11 p.m., and several trucking companies reported being contracted to block off the ramps to major roadways. The ban was later lifted Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. 

Many travelers heeded the advice of the governor, and left work earlier than usual, causing traffic jams across southern New York State. Even during rush hours, some major roadways in Nassau County, like the Southern State Parkway and the Meadowbrook Parkway, were only partially plowed and too slippery for safe driving.

School districts in Malverne and West Hempstead closed their buildings an hour early on Monday and remained closed on Tuesday. 

By Tuesday morning, Nassau County was still being hit hard with strong wind gusts, on top of the snow that had already fallen, and the county braced itself for more accumulation and drifting later that day. The forecast called for temperatures in the 20s, steady 20-mph winds, and gusts ranging from 30 to 40 mph in Nassau County.

The weather service had canceled both the coastal flood advisory and the coastal flood warning for Nassau County, saying that only minor coastal flooding occurred with the overnight high tide.

The Long Island Rail Road expected to be operating on a Sunday schedule by noon Tuesday, and reported that it would resume its normal weekday schedule starting Wednesday morning.

Many health organizations sent out warnings to those shoveling and plowing, warning against strenuous activity for those with cardiac and other health issues.

At the same time, village officials were asking residents to assist local village workers by facilitating their job. "Please allow the Department of Public Works to do its job and do not shovel snow into the roadways," reminded Malverne Mayor McDonald. "You can also help the fire department by shoveling out any nearby fire hydrants."