A major winter storm swept across Elmont, Franklin Square all of Long Island on Sunday, bringing heavy overnight snowfall and strong, hazardous winds that persisted into Monday, shutting down schools, disrupting transportation and leaving thousands without power on Long Island.
The storm arrived as forecast, intensifying Sunday into blizzard-like conditions across Nassau County. By Monday morning, residents in both communities were digging out from roughly 18 inches of snow, accompanied by powerful wind gusts that piled drifts against doors and cars.
The Sewanhaka, Elmont and Franklin Square school districts were closed Monday as road crews worked to clear major and residential streets.
“Back storm doors are frozen shut,” Donald Sanusi, of Elmont, said, describing how drifts had temporarily trapped some residents inside their homes.
Jon Miller, of Franklin Square, a paramedic who works in Manhattan, did not have the option of staying home. He began monitoring the forecasts a week in advance, he said, and his original plan was to wake up early and shovel his way out — but there was a complication. He couldn’t open his glass front door. The snow, he said, “was about 6 inches above the door lines,” and he didn’t want to risk cracking it by forcing it open against the packed snow.
Tamar Bailey, board director at the Elmont Cultural Center, said the storm warnings felt “last minute,” even though forecasts had signaled significant snowfall for days. NICE Bus service was suspended at 9 p.m. on Sunday, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and, Bailey noted, essential workers faced difficult choices as conditions worsened. Many, she said, likely stayed overnight at their workplaces rather than attempt hazardous trips home.
Some residents expressed frustration with plowing operations. Miller said that plows came through his neighborhood on Sunday night, but appeared to pus additional snow into already narrow streets, creating higher piles in front of driveways.
Another Franklin Square resident, Rukhsana Habib, said she was relieved simply to get her door open. Her backyard had been transformed into a winter landscape, with snow blanketing patio tables and chairs.
The storm caused sporadic power outages. According to PSEG Long Island, just over 15,000 of its 1.2 million electric customers on Long Island and in the Rockaways were without power at one point. As of 10 a.m. Monday, the utility reported that it had restored electricity to thousands of customers affected by the storm.
Utility officials said that field crews were at times unable to make repairs because of high winds. Branches and downed wires contributed to the outages.
The National Weather Service issued the first blizzard warning on Long Island since 2022, and county and state officials mobilized additional resources ahead of the storm. Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages said New York deployed 100 members of the New York National Guard and more than 2,000 snowplows to clear the region’s roads.
Despite those preparations, some community members pointed to lingering concerns about snow removal from roads and sidewalks after last month’s major storm. Residents said that several public areas remained unplowed for weeks, creating hazardous conditions for pedestrians and motorists.
Carl Gerrato, vice president of the Franklin Square Public Library board of trustees, said the sidewalk outside the library is routinely left unplowed after storms. The library’s accessibility ramp often remains uncleared as well, Gerrato added, limiting residents’ safe access for residents.
President Bill documented the unplowed sidewalks to prompt action from local officials. Earlier this month, Youngfert sent a letter to Hempstead Town Councilman Thomas Muscarella, expressing concern about the town parking lot, FS-1, across Lincoln Road from the library, which, Youngfert said, also remained unplowed after last month’s storm. It took roughly two weeks for the lot to be cleared, he said.
Youngfert said he hoped to see more timely maintenance following the latest storm, particularly in high-traffic public spaces.
As residents continued to dig out Monday, officials reiterated warnings about avoiding unnecessary travel and checking on elderly neighbors.
