Update: District Closes Schools as Snow Begins to Accumulate

Updated at 11:55 p.m.

As snow begins to accumulate in West Islip, the district has officially announced that all schools and after school activities for Wednesday will be cancelled.  will also be closed. 

Weather service officials said Suffolk County will receive between 12 and 18 inches of snow, along with winds gusting up to 35 mph.

According to the district website, the high school senior play has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 18 and Wednesday, Jan. 19.  Drivers education classes are also cancelled for Wednesday.

"There is going to be some heavy, heavy bands of snow," said Marcie Katcher, a spokeswoman at the weather service's Bohemia office. 

Snowfall is expected to be the heaviest late Tuesday night into early Wednesday, Katcher said. 

The storm, which is currently tracking up the East Coast after dumping snow and ice as far south as Florida, will not come close to rivaling the Dec. 26 blizzard, Katcher said, but she still advised residents to "take all precautions necessary to insure that you are safe during that type of weather." 

Amy Basta, a spokeswoman for the Town of Islip, said the town spread brine Monday and will be spreading it again on Tuesday.

“Islip Town is the first town in Suffolk County to construct and operate its own brine facility,” she said. “We use this saltwater mixture on our streets in advance of snow, which helps keep the roads clear. We also have all our plows ready to go for when the snow does begin to fall. As always, we ask that residents refrain from parking on the streets when there is a snow storm so that our plows can easily navigate down each road.”

Follow West Islip Patch for storm coverage.