Heavy rains forecast; commuters urged to take it slow

With bands of heavy rain and thunderstorms expected to cross Long Island, the National Weather Service is warning commuters to be prepared for ponding, flooding and hazardous road conditions Monday.

In a special weather statement posted on its Web site, the service warned: "Locally, heavy rain is possible . . . with up to one half inch of rain within an hour. This will result in ponding of water on roadways and minor flooding in areas of poor drainage. Those traveling this morning are urged to allow extra time and slow down."

The statement was issued at 5:55 a.m. and warned that bands of heavy rain and thunderstorms would be crossing the Island again sometime around 7 a.m. Earlier a band of heavy rain barraged the area, resulting in a slew of minor accidents on the Northern State Parkway, Southern State Parkway and Long Island Expressway, according to the New York State Department of Transportation.

The weather service is predicting rains to continue throughout Monday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms possible after 2 p.m. Tuesday. That rain could continue into Tuesday night before clearing Wednesday.