Long Island weather: Gusty winds, chance of weekend snow

Drivers find foggy conditons along Sills Road in Medford on Friday, April 1, 2016. Credit: James Carbone
The first weekend in April ushers in a brief cold spell, gusty winds that could down power lines and the chance for rain and then rain/snow showers overnight Saturday into Sunday.
And that’s no April Fool’s joke.
Saturday, bringing highs in the mid-50s and showers through the afternoon, especially for eastern Long Island, sees the arrival of a strong cold front in the overnight hours, says Faye Barthold, National Weather Service meteorologist based in Upton.
Rain and snow showers arrive after midnight, lasting through around 8 or 9 a.m. Sunday, and possibly ending as all snow, she said. Snow accumulation of less than half an inch is possible.
Also part of the mix is “strong, gusty winds,” with a high wind watch in effect overnight Saturday into Sunday, indicating 20 to 35 mph winds for Long Island and gusts up to 55 to 60 mph. That means trees and power lines could topple, with the potential for scattered outages and challenging driving for those in high profile vehicles, the weather service says.
Overnight lows Saturday are in the mid-30s, with wind chill values between 20 and 30 degrees.
Winds diminish by Sunday evening, with highs for the day in the low 40s. Temperatures dip down overnight Sunday to around 31 degrees, and lower into the 20s farther to the east, Barthold said.
Monday is looking at the next round of precipitation, with the chance of rain, then a rain-snow mix, then back to rain in the afternoon, the weather service said. Highs of around 50 are expected.
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