Garden City Prepares For Major Winter Storm: Latest Forecast, Cancellations, How To Prepare

GARDEN CITY, NY — With an impending snowfall to hit Long Island this weekend, towns across the Island are preparing.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency across New York in preparation for the snowstorm. Mayor Ed Finneran has also declared a State of Emergency for the Village of Garden City due to the heavy snow and extreme cold temperatures expected this weekend. The Village is encouraging residents to stay home and avoid unncessary travel.

According to Matt Wunsch, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Upton, snow is expected to begin early Sunday morning and intensify very progressively throughout the day, with 1 to 2 inches of snowfall per hour expected Sunday afternoon. Moderate to potentially heavy snow will continue into the evening, he said, with widespread accumulation of 8 to 12 inches— and up to 15 inches in some spots.

The Inc. Village of Garden City shared on their Facebook page reminders for residents to keep in mind this weekend.

One tip they mentioned is to keep snow and ice 3 feet away from fire hydrants, so that in case of fire, firefighters need to be able to get to the hydrants quickly to protect people and property.

The curbside sanitation collection is in effect on Monday and Tuesday, they reminded residents. All garbage should be placed upon the curb before 7 a.m. on the scheduled collection day. A shoveled path will be required for their men to collect garbage moving forward after Tuesday.

The Garden City Public Library reminded residents to stock up on books before the snowstorm.

"We're predicting patrons in Nassau County will need at least 3 to 4 books," they wrote on Facebook.

Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti shared on Facebook that he joined Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and colleagues in government to speak directly to residents about this weekend's snowstorm.

He said their Highway crews are already staged, shift rotations are set, and they are prepared to provide 24/7 coverage across more than 1,200 miles of roadway through the Town of Hempstead.

As the storm approaches the Island, he said the most important thing to do is stay informed, limit unnecessary travel, and give crews the space they need to do their jobs safely and efficiently.

"We’re taking this seriously, planning ahead, and will continue to keep residents updated every step of the way," Ferretti said.

The Community Park Tennis Center will be closed on Sunday and potentially Monday. Their website and Facebook page will have updates.

Due to the impending winter storm, all recreation and physical fitness classes in the Town of Hempstead scheduled for Sunday and Monday are canceled. Notifications have been sent to all participants via email with additional information. Residents can email justand@hempsteadny.gov with any questions.