Long Island Buried Under More Than 2 Feet Of Snow In Some Spots
FREEPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Residents across Long Island will be spending the day Sunday digging out after a massive winter storm dumped more than two feet of snow in some spots.
The largest snow total was in Nassau County, where the National Weather Service says 29.6 inches of snow was reported in Hicksville. In Suffolk County, Commack saw 26.5 inches of snow.
Other areas on Long Island saw anywhere from 14 inches in Southampton to more than 25 inches in North Merrick.
Nassau County Health Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein said residents need to be careful when shoveling snow.
"Shoveling snow is a very rigorous activity," he told CBS2's Jennifer McLogan. "We don't want to see what we typically see after a snowstorm, where 911 gets calls for people with chest pain, especially when the roads may not be optimal for first responders to come."
There were at least two storm-related deaths on Long Island Saturday.
A 94-year-old Smithtown man collapsed while using a snowblower, and a neighbor rushed to give him CPR. Police also gave the man CPR, but he was later pronounced dead.
A 61-year-old Nassau County man also died while using a snowblower.
Nassau Emergency Animal Coordinator Gary Rogers said people should also be careful when letting their pets out in the snow.
"The wind is going to be out there; you're going to have hypothermia. Also, if you do take your pet for a walk, make sure you wash his pads to get the salt off," he said. "But the most important thing, your pet needs to be inside with you next to fire, next to the heater bundled up just like you -- do not leave it outside."
Travel Ban Lifted; Much Of LIRR Back Monday
Gov. Andrew Cuomo lifted a travel ban on all state and local roads in New York City, the Long Island Expressway and Northern State Parkway at 7 a.m. Sunday.
Suffolk County Steve Bellone said the travel ban made a "tremendous impact."
"We made great progress in the overnight hours on those big roads, state roads," he told WCBS 880. "Having said that, there is still a lot of work do to on those side roads."
Service on the Long Island Rail Road remains suspended. The governor said many of the railroad's yards are buried in more than 2 feet of snow as well the Harold Interlocking in Queens, where the lines intersect before entering the tunnels into Manhattan.
In addition, Cuomo said there are some stranded trains in some spots and frozen switches that are preventing snow-clearing equipment from moving through the system.
"They (LIRR) have over 2,000 personnel that have been working to go and get this railroad back, and they will continue to work until we have that railroad fully restored," the MTA's Joseph Giulietti told reporters.
The Port Washington, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, Huntington, Babylon and Greenport branches will be back in operation effective at 5 a.m. Monday, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Flooding Worries
There were also flooding fears in waterfront communities, but Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy said they dodged a bullet.
"We had two high tides already and we've had minimal flooding throughout the streets," he told McLogan. "The tide just didn't come up as high as many predicted."
A coastal flood advisory remains in effect for low-lying areas until noon Sunday.