“As I left my home to head to Albany yesterday to continue working for some common sense in New York State, I was concerned that my travels northward would be troublesome,” Mattera said.
“But thanks to the great work of all the men and women of the New York State Department of Transportation and Suffolk County Highway & Grounds Maintenance, my ride was happily uneventful.”
Senator Mattera noted that major roadways, including the Long Island Expressway and New York State Thruway, remained passable despite the severe weather.The February 2026 blizzard buried much of Suffolk County under more than two feet of snow, with an official report showing 29.1 inches of accumulation at Islip MacArthur Airport, potentially the largest storm total there since records began in 1963.
Snow totals of 20–30 inches were widespread across Suffolk County, with deep drifts and whiteout conditions challenging travel and cleanup efforts.
The powerful storm brought high winds and significant disruptions, prompting travel bans in Suffolk County and widespread closures of schools and transit services.
Strong gusts of up to 60–70 mph contributed to blowing snow and hazardous conditions.
Utility crews also battled outages caused by the storm’s ferocity.
Thousands of families across Long Island briefly lost power as heavy, wet snow brought down branches and lines, though restoration efforts have been ongoing as conditions improved.
“Thank you to every worker and leader who was out there in this horrible weather for helping me get to Albany and ensuring that New York State could get back up and running as quickly as possible,” Mattera added in his statement.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine echoed the praise for the coordinated response, underscoring the importance of road crews and emergency workers in keeping communities connected during extreme winter weather.