Long Island weather: Quick-moving storm floods roadways, making for miserable evening commute

A quick-moving frontal system brought gusty winds and heavy rain to Long Island on Thursday, flooding roadways, toppling a tree on the Southern State Parkway and presenting challenges for PSEG Long Island. 

Lanes were flooded out along several highly traveled roadways, according to 511NY, the New York State Department of Transportation’s travel information service. The rightmost westbound lane and the leftmost eastbound lane of the Long Island Expressway near Exit 34 leading to New Hyde Park Road in North Hempstead were closed due to flooding, according to 511NY.

Flooding shuttered lanes at various points along the Northern State Parkway, according to 511NY. Two of the three eastbound lanes of the eastbound parkway at Exit 27N leading to Shelter Rock Road in North Hempstead were closed. Those same lanes were impassable a few miles east at Exit 25, Lakeville Road and Marcus Avenue in North Hempstead.

Half the four westbound lanes of the Southern State Parkway just east of the Belt Parkway were flooded at Exit 13S, leading to Central Avenue in Hempstead, according to 511NY. A tree toppled across the Southern State Parkway at exit 18, damaging a car but producing no injuries.

Easterly winds ranging from 15 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph, were expected to linger into Friday after the storm passes the region, the National Weather Service said.

As of 7 p.m. Thursday, more than 1,300 customers were out of power, according to PSEG Long Island. But by 8:30 p.m., that number was cut to 677.

A coastal flood advisory was also in effect for the region during the evening high tide cycle. The National Weather Service in Upton received reports of minor flooding in coastal areas, including in Freeport and Lindenhurst, agency meteorologist David Stark told Newsday. The weather service in Upton had not heard reports of major flooding, fallen trees or storm damage across the island as of around 6:15 p.m., according to Stark.

Between 1½ to 2½ inches of rain was expected regionwide with localized rainfall above 3 inches, mainly north and west of New York City, the weather service's forecast said.

Around an inch of rain already fell in Islip, Stark said. Around 1½ to 2 inches of rain already fell in Nassau, where showers may continue, but the meteorologist said "we're not anticipating the same type of rainfall rate" in the western county, he said.

"The East End hasn't really seen much rain yet," Stark added. "It's just starting to rain there now."

Winds were blowing around 35 to 45 mph Thursday afternoon, Stark said. On Friday, the wind is expected to change to a westerly direction and could gust up to 50 mph in the afternoon and evening

Halloween's forecast calls for possible showers in the morning, then clearing skies with a high temperature near 56 degrees. Friday night will be partly cloudy with a low around 44, with windy conditions continuing, forecasters said.

Saturday is expected to be sunny and breezy with highs in the upper 50s.

Check back for updates on this developing story.