Cold front may bring LI's first snow later in week

Long Island could see its first snowflakes fall Thursday night, meteorologists said Sunday.

The National Weather Service in Upton is forecasting about a 30 percent chance of snowfall on Thursday and Friday, but it isn't expected to stick around long.

After seasonal temperatures early in the week, Long Islanders can expect the weather to turn sharply cooler from the effects of a cold front related to Typhoon Nuri in the Pacific Ocean that will force the jet stream to dip down, the service said.

Long Island should see mostly sunny skies, calm winds and highs in the 50s to low 60s through Wednesday. It will stay dry with a slight chance of drizzle Tuesday night.

But temperatures will drop 10 to 20 degrees to the low 40s on Thursday and Friday, the service said.

The Arctic air from northern Canada -- not to be confused with last year's polar vortex -- could bring light flurries to Long Island through Friday night, the service said.

Temperatures are expected to be just cold enough to sustain snow, with lows just below freezing and highs in the low 40s those days.

"It is pretty early," National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Pollina said. "Recently, over the last few years, we've been getting snow in November."

In 2012, Islip recorded about six inches of snow by Nov. 8, Pollina said. Last year, a trace of snow fell on Nov. 12. Long Island averages about six-tenths of an inch of snow in November.

Long Island should just get the effect of the remnants of a larger storm expected to sweep across the Midwest.

The system is forecast to mix with the winds and moisture from Typhoon Nuri as it moves across the United States. The brunt of the storm coming off the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea in Alaska is forecast to bring subfreezing temperatures and snow in places such as Wyoming and North Dakota.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.