More rain expected for evening commute
On a rainy day, commuters walk toward the LIRR station in Hicksville. (Jan. 18, 2011) Credit: Newsday / Audrey C. Tiernan
Overnight temperatures hovering around the freezing mark could turn a steady rain falling on Long Island on Tuesday into ice - and, dangerous black ice - on the roads for the morning commute.
The National Weather Service said temperatures are expected to hover around 32 degrees overnight into Wednesday.
And, although the weather is expected to clear to a mostly sunny Thursday, the weather service said another winter storm could impact Nassau and Suffolk from Thursday night into Friday morning, with a chance of snow expected and temperatures dipping again into the 20s.
The service said about an inch of rain fell Tuesday on parts of Long Island. The rain was expected to ease late Tuesday night, before a chance of rain or snow was again predicted through Wednesday morning.
Floral Park had gotten 1.5 inches of rain by midafternoon Tuesday, Levittown 1.3 and Mount Sinai 1.2, the service said. That was far less precipitation than fell in parts of Westchester and Connecticut, where some areas were hit with more than 3 inches Tuesday - freezing rain in many parts.
Long Islanders, meanwhile, weathered a slushy, sluggish morning commute Tuesday, but by midmorning, rain had almost entirely washed away a layer of icy snow that greeted drivers first thing.
Tuesday most major roads, including the Long Island Expressway and the state parkways, experienced slow-moving traffic, according to traffic cameras at informny.com, the state Department of Transportation website.
Secondary roads, including the expressway and parkway ramps, often had slushy buildups.
The weather caused only a few delays and closings across the Island. The Half Hollow Hills School District in Dix Hills had a two-hour delayed start.
The Long Island Rail Road asked riders to allow extra travel time and to be careful while boarding and exiting trains.
New York's major airports also reported some delays because of the weather into the early afternoon.Long Island MacArthur Airport reported one afternoon arrival and one departure were canceled and four other flights were delayed.
Most morning flights were on time and only one morning flight had been canceled as of 8:30 a.m., spokeswoman Catherine Green said.
With John Valenti
