Long Island weather forecast: A day of rain but probably no snow

A winter storm is expected to hit the metropolitan area Tuesday, but Long Island commuters in the morning will probably just have to deal with rain, not snow.

 The National Weather Service said there is a 100% chance of rain Tuesday with a high temperature of about 48 deg rees. A southwest wind of 8 to 18 mph will shift out of the north in the afternoon, the service said. Gusts could reach 30 mph.

Some residents of Nassau and northwest Suffolk could face a "possible mix of rain and snow" starting after 4 a.m. Tuesday, meteorologist John Murray with the weather service's Upton office said. As temperatures rise later in the morning, this precipitation will transition to rain.

"The rain will taper off Tuesday evening," Murray added. "No measurable snow is expected, and the total amount of rain we have in the forecast is between an inch and an inch-and-a-half. We're looking at moderate rain, at times maybe even briefly heavy."

Precipitation in inland areas north and west of Interstate 95 could start as wet snow, but then is expected to change to a rain and snow mix and then snow through the morning. The weather service said 1 to 2 inches of snow was possible in White Plains in Westchester County.

The New York City Emergency Management Department issued a weather alert for Tuesday, saying it was watching a coastal low "expected to bring steady rainfall" to the city Tuesday, and snow in areas north and west of the city.

The rain on Long Island is expected to continue into Tuesday night, easing around 10 p.m. The thermometer could drop to around 31 degrees, according to the weather service.

Dry weather is expected through the rest of the workweek with a chance of rain overnight Friday into Saturday.

Wednesday will be sunny with a high of about 42 degrees, according to the weather service.