TWF 363: Another Big Winter Storm Incoming Sunday, February 22nd!

 Hello, friends,

I'm going to keep this quick because you've presumably already heard already, but over the course of the past day or two the outlook for this weekend's snow storm went from, "Eh, some snow, but not bad" to "Oh crap there's a lot, huh?"

For those curious about the details, check out Ryan Hall's video about it here.

Otherwise, the quick and clean is that the usual rules apply:  Prepare as soon as plausible if you still have preparations to do.  Get cars off the road overnight.  Be aware of possible flooding with this one since water tables are already pretty high, especially after yesterday's rain.

To be honest, the worst-case numbers are a bit scary, I know; but I'm hopeful and not expecting too much more than a foot and a half.  Nothing Freeport hasn't dealt with before.

I'm honestly more concerned about the possibility of power outages caused by the combination of wet, heavy snow and high winds.

All the usual advice is below:

 - Keep a cell phone handy; a battery-powered radio is a good idea, too.  If you need to report a non-life-threatening emergency, call the Nassau County line at 1-888-684-4274.  For medical emergencies ONLY, use 911.  Charge it up as much as you can as early as you can.  FWIW I recently picked up a few battery banks and a small solar panel to charge them just in case.

- Try to stock up on anything you need before the snow gets heavy.  It goes without saying that if you can't drive safely, if you can't move well, then you are at risk of getting injured while walking around, or crashing your car if you risk driving.  I know it's kind of an old motif, but get your "bread and milk" now.

 - Keep your pets and beloved animals inside!!!  They won't be able to move through a foot and a half of snow any better than you will, and if the temperature is cold out, they can get sick or even freeze to death.  Have some compassion.  "Winter dogs" are the exception; your husky will probably enjoy the storm more than you do.  If you can, put out a large styrofoam box/cooler/something, stuffed with straw (NOT blankets; straw reflects heat), for local stray cats/animals to take shelter in; in these days, compassion is a must.  If you've got some spare pet food, put that out - staying warm burns calories.

 - Help your neighbors clear the snow from their sidewalks if you can.  If possible - and I mean unless you absolutely cannot - clear out a 3-feet circle around your nearby fire hydrants.  (via TJ Johnson.)  Make sure to dress warmly, wear sturdy and stable boots, and take your time shoveling!  If a storm is a big storm, don't be afraid to do it in multiple smaller batches (like 3-4 shovels) versus one big all-at-once.

 - If the power goes out, be careful with candles! Nobody needs a fire!

 - Don't plug space heaters into power strips!  Those things aren't designed to work for space heaters.

 - Get your car off the road!  Park your cars in your driveway, if you can. (Via FFD member Robert Volpe).  Village lots are typically available for public parking if you can't part in your own spots.

 - Try to have cash available!  In the event that there is no electricity to run credit cards or operate ATMs, you'll want to have money around if you need to pay for anything.

 - Once the storm is over, call your friends and family and see if they're alright!

TWF 357: Major Storm Incoming This Weekend (10/10/2025)

Hello, Freeport (and the whole of Long Island, and the north-east in general),

I hope this post finds you well.  While I'm no longer weekly - nor a present-tense Freeporter - I do keep an eye on Long Island in general, my hometown in particular, and situations that might impact those I care about back home.

So if you've been living under a very peculiar rock (wherein you see this post but haven't heard about this elsewhere), there's a major storm system coming through this weekend that you should be prepared for.

Accuweather has an article about it here.  Of particular note is the line that the storm surge "could rival that of Sandy in some areas."  That's no small claim, so if you're near the shore?  Be alert for warnings and be prepared to protect yourselves.

Hopefully it won't be that bad, but one can never be sure.

For the video-centric among you, Ryan Hall has a video that covers the storm (starting a few minutes into the video) here.  I'd suggest subscribing to Ryan's Youtube channel, he makes good weather warnings.

The New York State Department of Health has a list of things to do to be storm-prepared here.  Make sure you're covered for your specific situation.

Otherwise, that's about all I have to say for now.  Leave a comment if you have any feedback.

TWF 343: Hurricane Lee Isn't Quite Coming to Town

 Hello, friends,

This is a short update to let you know that Hurricane Lee is in the neighborhood, this weekend.

I've found Ryan Hall to be a pretty good meteorologist to listen to.  His prediction is that Hurricane Lee will pass Long Island to the east.  It'll push a lot of water our way.  I was listening to another meteorologist talking about how we aren't likely to get rain or super-heavy wind, but we will experience a pretty severe high tide that might, I suspect, flood parts of the south shore of Long Island.

That means South Freeport might flood, too.

Image courtesy of Accuweather

I was unable to find anything on the Freeport website or the Facebook page for the Office of Emergency Management about predicted impacts, so maybe it won't be that big a deal, but it's still worth being weather-wise.

Jesse Pohlman is a sci-fi/fantasy author and part-time journalist who occasionally publishes The Weekly Freeporter when there's important news like hurricane information.  You can find his website here if you're interested in a fantastical adventure of some kind.

TWF 323: Big Winter Storm Approaching, Jan 28, 2022

 Hello, friends,

The below image is courtesy of the National Weather Service.

I mean, that says enough, doesn't it?  Well, Accuweather says this:

That's...Honestly twice as bad as the 6-12 we were predicted to get as of a couple days ago, which is why I decided it deserved an article.  That means it's time to review some of our usual winter weather tips!  If you've got one you'd like to share, leave it in the comments and I'll credit you and add it to the list.

(Yes, this list seems to repeat year to year for a reason, but it's been tweaked here and there)

- Try to stock up on anything you need before the snow gets heavy.  It goes without saying that if you can't drive safely, if you can't move well, then you are at risk of getting injured while walking around, or crashing your car if you risk driving.  I know it's kind of an old motif, but get your "bread and milk" now.

 - Keep your pets and beloved animals inside!!!  They won't be able to move through two feet of snow any better than you will, and if the temperature is cold out, they can get sick or even freeze to death.  Have some compassion.  If you can, put out a large styrofoam box/cooler/something, stuffed with straw, for local stray cats/animals to take shelter in; in these days, compassion is a must.  If you've got some spare pet food, put that out - staying warm burns calories.

 - Help your neighbors clear the snow from their sidewalks if you can.  If possible - and I mean unless you absolutely cannot - clear out a 3-feet circle around your nearby fire hydrants.  (via TJ Johnson.)  Make sure to dress warmly, wear sturdy and stable boots, and take your time shoveling!

 - If the power goes out, be careful with candles! Nobody needs a fire!

 - Keep a cell phone handy; a battery-powered radio is a good idea, too.  If you need to report a non-life-threatening emergency, call the Nassau County line at 1-888-684-4274.  For medical emergencies ONLY, use 911.  Charge it up as much as you can as early as you can.

 - Get your car off the road!  Park your cars in your driveway, if you can. (Via FFD member Robert Volpe).  Village lots are typically available for public parking if you can't.

 - Try to have cash available!  In the event that there is no electricity to run credit cards or operate ATMs, you'll want to have money around if you need to pay for anything.

 - Once the storm is over, call your friends and family and see if they're alright!

TWF 315: Hurricane Henri Approaches Long Island!

 Hello, friends,

I hope you're all doing well.

Well, Freeporters and Long Islanders in general, it's that time of year, again!  We've got a hurricane coming our way.  It's name is Henri.  Say, "Hello, Henri!"  Anyway:  According to Accuweather, this is Hurricane Henri's most likely approach - and it's gonna broadside Long Island this weekend, predominantly on Sunday.

I feel like I used to have a handy-dandy list of hurricane tips, but to be honest you're all probably pretty well-acquainted with them - and, if not, you're certainly familiar with basic tenants of storm preparations.  If not, may I direct you to the CDC's website for hurricane and tropical storm planning?

I remember seeing the weather on TV and hearing that Henri was likely to head east of where it's now predicted.  I also remember, much more recently, seeing the phrase, "The 'Sandy' Hook" pop up on the internet as a reference to the devastation Hurricane Sandy caused and how it seemed to go out to see and then came back towards the island from the east.

This time, there doesn't seem to be a Nor'Easter colliding with the hurricane, though, so hopefully we'll be alright.

Jesse Pohlman is an author from Long Island, New York.  His website is at this link, where he hocks his sci-fi/fantasy novels that, hey, you can read during the storm!

TWF 265: Preparing For Hurricane Hermine

To all,

Hello!  It's been a while!  I'm posting this mainly because of a sense of nostalgia, but also because our community is once again facing a very serious hurricane threat and I felt obliged to do my share in pointing it out.  Without further ado:

Hermine.

As ABC News points out, it's a major "post-tropical Cyclone" (or something specific), but is expected by NJ.com to strengthen back into a Hurricane.  The below image, courtesy of Channel 7's Accuweather, is a depiction of the Tropical Storm warning for our area heading into Labor Day Weekend.

I'm no meteorologist, but from what I have read over the course of preparing for this storm, it is roughly comparable to what we experienced with Hurricane Irene:  Approximately four foot storm surges, serious rain and significant winds.  In short:  This is no joke.  Take this seriously, make sure your yards are clear of debris and make sure you have at least a flashlight and some batteries.

I believe we've been through this situation enough in recent years that we know how to handle it, but in the unlikely event this becomes a severe situation, don't panic.  Damage can be repaired, homes can be rebuilt, but our common heritage as Freeporters will never be broken.

On future updates and old posts.

I'm afraid I'm not coming back to do the blogging thing, as I'm unable to call Freeport my home any longer, however I may use this blog from time-to-time to alert people to emergency situations effecting our region or other significant news regarding our community.

Additionally, I may make some of this site's prior reporting available again on a limited basis, depending on what I feel is significantly important to Freeport's history.  In particular, I'm mainly considering making my live-blogging of Hurricane Sandy available, and working with my old co-conspirator Jason Bass to make sure his amazing video of that era is out there.

Finally, I want to offer a belated condolence to the family and friends of Shawn Oliver, who I remember from Freeport High School.  Farewell.

TWF 235: Another Winter Storm, Janus! And FHS Swim records, and parking meters, and more!

Hey there, Freeport,

So, with another big winter storm on the way, I'd like to take a minute to post some news updates, large and small!


The Headline:  Winter Storm Janus

What Hercules wasn't, Janus might be; still, let's remember the snow-storm advice TWF put out when Hercules came through...

 - Try to stock up on anything you need before the snow gets heavy.
 - Help your neighbors do the sidewalks if you can.  If possible, clear out a 3-feet circle around your nearby fire hydrants.  (via TJ Johnson.)
 - Avoid driving!  If you absolutely have to, drive carefully!  Go slowly, allow yourself lots of time to stop, do not make sharp turns, and have your lights on!
 - If the power goes out, be careful with candles!
 - Keep a cell phone handy; a battery-powered radio is a good idea, too.  If you need to report a non-life-threatening emergency, call the Nassau County line at 1-888-684-4274.  For medical emergencies ONLY, use 911.
 - Get your car off the road!  Park your cars in your driveway, if you can. (Via FFD member Robert Volpe).  Additionally, the Village has suspended all parking meters until Thursday - there's no excuse, Freeport.  Park your car off the road so the plows can get through!
 - Bring your pets inside!  If it's too cold for you, it's too cold for them!

 We're expecting about a foot of snow, this time around.  Be safe!

Image courtesy of The Weather Channel

I've received word that Freeport Public Schools will be closed tomorrow as a result of this storm.  All after-school activities have been cancelled, today.



Freeport High School swimmer Jon Ruiz-Soto breaks an FHS record!

Sadly, I wasn't even aware this swim meet was going on until I got there, and I missed getting accurate times!  However, Jon Ruiz-Soto, who I've written about previously, broke a long-standing record on January 10th.  The event was the 200-Yard Individual Medely relay (50 yards of Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle, each, one after another).

The record was previous held by Kendall Smith, who holds many others for FHS Swimming.  The IM is arguably the second-most difficult race, just a touch less painful than my old stand-by, the 500-Yard Freestyle.


Freeport Parking Meters Suspended Until Summer

As you may recall, The Weekly Freeporter seized on reports about municipal parking meters being installed at the Nautical Mile and other places in Freeport.  Incensed business owners reacted as one might imagine; these new regulations had, in fact, damaged winter-time business.

In what is perhaps the most telling sign of the Kennedy administration's willingness to listen to business-owners and residents alike, at the Monday, January 13th Village Hall meeting, the recently-installed munimeters have been suspended until warmer weather reaches us.

This is still a far cry from the "Resident-Employee" system this publication has proposed, and some of the damage has already been done, but it's good to know that a willingness to re-examine bad policies has returned to Freeport.


The Weekly Freeporter is produced by Jesse Pohlman.  Jesse is a writer from Freeport, NY.  Click this link to check out his new webpage!

Thank you for reading!

TWF 232: Happy New Year! Happy New Blizzard, "Hercules!"

Hello, Freeport!

I hope you guys had a great New Year's Eve; I stopped by Jeremy's Ale House, where they had an excellent (and free!) buffet cooked up (I believe) by the infamous and award-winning Reggie, complimentary champagne (I don't drink), and great DJing by Mike "Crash" Suchan!  I hope you all have a great year, too!

We're even gonna start it off with a lovely blizzard!

Thursday or so (But apparently starting tonight?), we're gonna get a major snowstorm called "Hercules" by the media.  The usual rules apply - but what are they?

 - Try to stock up on anything you need before the snow gets heavy.
 - Help your neighbors do the sidewalks if you can.  If possible, clear out a 3-feet circle around your nearby fire hydrants.  (via TJ Johnson.)
 - Avoid driving!  If you absolutely have to, drive carefully!  Go slowly, allow yourself lots of time to stop,, do not make sharp turns, and have your lights on!
 - If the power goes out, be careful with candles!
 - Keep a cell phone handy; a battery-powered radio is a good idea, too.
 - Park your cars in your driveway, if you can. (Via FFD member Robert Volpe)
 - Bring your pets inside!

According to reports, this storm may create a higher potential for floods.  Between the cycle of the moon and wind conditions, Long Island might experience higher water levels than usual.

All the usual rules, really.

Otherwise, be safe!


The Weekly Freeporter is produced by Jesse Pohlman.  Jesse is a writer from Freeport, NY.  If you have some time, check out his five-star rated novel, Physics Incarnate, available in both Kindle and Paperback formats!

Thank you for reading!


Editorial Note:  Some updates have been made for the sake of organization.