Arctic air mass brings dangerous wind chills to Long Island through Sunday, more snow Friday
Frigid wind chills have arrived on Long Island as an arctic air mass envelopes the region, bringing some of the brutal cold that has pervaded much of the rest of the country.
“Temperatures remain near or below freezing across the region through Sunday night. Blustery winds this weekend will lead to wind chills near zero at times,” the National Weather Service said in an advisory Wednesday.
The cold has also made travel and even walking dicey in some places, as the snowstorm that fell on Long Island Tuesday has left remnants of freezing rain and slush that have turned to black ice and won't be melting until next week.
The arctic air mass is the same cold front that has swept down through Canada and brought subzero temperatures, ice and snow through much of the rest of the country and the Midwest, meteorologists said.
Wind chills in the next few days are forecast to be in the single digits, with subzero wind chills possible Saturday and Sunday, the weather service said. Gusty winds up to about 15 mph will be blowing through Friday night.
Friday will also bring another system with anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow expected on Long Island, the weather service said. The snow is due to start Friday morning and last until evening. Unlike the last storm, it will stay powder-like throughout because of the cold temperatures.
The chilly air staying in Long Island through Sunday will mark the coldest weather of this winter season so far, said Joe Pollina, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
But temperatures still haven't dipped to the coldest point in recent years, when Long Island MacArthur Airport recorded a low of 8 degrees on Christmas Eve 2022.
The weekend will feature abundant sunshine, but the cold temperatures will refreeze anything that might melt during the day. Saturday's high will be just 22 degrees and Sunday's high will be just below the freezing mark.
Nassau County activated its warming centers after temperatures fell below freezing, according to a spokesman for County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Warming centers are open during the day at Cantiague Park and the Wantagh administration building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 24 hours at Mitchel Field, 1 Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in Uniondale.
Anyone in need of shelter from the cold overnight can call the Nassau County Winter Homeless Hotline at 1-866-WARMBED (927-6233).
The Town of Huntington is also opening warming centers through Friday at the Clark Gillies Dix Hills Ice Rink, the Manor Park Field House, the Huntington Senior Center and the Huntington TRI-CYA.
Though other towns have not opened warming centers, Southampton Town officials are reaching out to any known homeless individuals or encampments to encourage them to seek temporary shelter and connect them with social services support, said Ryan Murphy, Southampton emergency management administrator.
Next week will gradually bring some warming into the 40s Tuesday and Wednesday.
The forecast calls for temperatures above normal for the next two weeks, according to the weather service, with a chance of rain toward the end of next week.
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.
Out East: Mecox Bay Dairy, Kent Animal Shelter, Custer Institute & Observatory and local champagnes NewsdayTV's Doug Geed takes us "Out East," and shows us different spots you can visit this winter.
Out East: Mecox Bay Dairy, Kent Animal Shelter, Custer Institute & Observatory and local champagnes NewsdayTV's Doug Geed takes us "Out East," and shows us different spots you can visit this winter.
