Arctic air to bring frigid temperatures to Long Island next week; snow possible Sunday

A mass of arctic air engulfing the middle of the nation is expected to arrive on Long Island next week, bringing with it the region's coldest temperatures in two years, forecasters said.

Following the possibility of snow showers the evening prior, Friday morning’s commute was not forecast to be impacted, according to meteorologist Bill Goodman with the National Weather Service’s Upton office.

High temperatures will reach the upper 30s across Nassau and Suffolk counties Friday afternoon, but wind chill values will hover between 15 and 30, according to the National Weather Service.

Despite a slight warm up Saturday, bringing rain and temperatures in the mid-40s, temperatures are set to plummet starting Sunday night, when measurable snowfall is forecast, according to Goodman.

“That could accumulate, it’s just a little bit early to give any estimates,” Goodman said late Thursday afternoon. “I don’t think it will be significant, I think that storm will be moving through too quickly to really drop significant snowfall, but you might have to get the plows out for that one. … I guess roads could still be snow-covered Monday morning.”

Meteorologists said the arctic air is expected to come from Siberia and travel over the North Pole, through Canada and over Long Island.

High temperatures are expected to reach the mid-20s Monday. Negative wind chills are forecast for Monday night into Tuesday morning, James Tomasini, a meteorologist with the weather service in Upton, said Thursday. Overnight temperatures are expected to be in the single digits with strong winds, making potentially dangerous conditions.

“It is still important to bundle up in the cold weather,” Tomasini said. Next week, “we're going to see highs in the upper teens and low 20s. The last time we had temperatures that low was more than two years ago. The wind chill will max out in single digits.”