Coastal flood advisory for North Shore

Forecasters have issued a coastal flood advisory for northern Nassau and northwestern Suffolk for early Friday.

The flood advisory for the North Shore will be in effect from 2 a.m. until 4 a.m., with tidal departures of up to 3 feet expected with the high-tide cycle on the Long Island Sound, forecasters at the National Weather Service said.

Widespread minor coastal flooding is expected to be one side-effect of a rainstorm expected to begin Thursday, become heavy overnight and continue into Saturday before clearing Sunday, forecasters said.

The weather service said we can expect about 1/4-inch of rain Thursday morning and afternoon, but then that rain is expected to fall in buckets -- with 1-to-2 inches predicted to fall overnight.

Another inch is possible Friday, forecasters said, all of which is far less than is expected to the north and west of us, where 4 or more inches could fall. Queens is expected to get 2-to-4 inches of rain.

In addition to coastal flooding the weather service warns that rivers, small streams and poor drainage areas also will be subject to flooding Friday.

Winds of up to 20 mph also are expected in the storm.