Long Island weather: Bracing for major storm after very cold weekend

Long Island officials are preparing to get walloped by the year’s first major snowstorm, bringing a foot or more of snow and high winds Monday.

A winter storm watch has been issued for Nassau and western Suffolk counties from late Sunday night through Tuesday morning.

Long Island officials are expecting near "blizzard-like conditions" with up to 14 inches of snow and gusts up to 55 mph from early Monday through Tuesday morning.

The winter nor'easter, mixing with the polar vortex from Quebec sweeping in from the Great Plains, is set to bring snow falling at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour, perilous roads, moderate coastal flooding, high winds, downed trees, and 15- to 20-foot ocean swells, according to the National Weather Service.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo directed state agencies to deploy resources across Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley.

"I am urging all New Yorkers to pay close attention to their local forecasts and to begin preparing their households for this latest round of winter weather," Cuomo said in a statement.

Nassau County highway trucks have already started to brine a portion of the county’s 1,500 miles of roads along the North Shore, County Executive Laura Curran said Saturday.

Highway officials said the salt solution eliminates any frozen precipitation before it can stick to the ground.

The snow is forecast to be combined with strong winds and gusts of up to 55 mph, Curran said. Nassau County has more than 21,000 tons of salt and 850 tons of sand, but officials are asking residents to stay off the roads Monday and work from home if possible.

"We do know this storm is going to be significant," Curran said. "It’s going to start after midnight Monday morning and the duration of this storm has given us some concerns."

"Monday morning’s commute may look fine, but as it progresses, driving conditions could be more hazardous," Curran said.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said Monday afternoon’s commute would be the greatest concern. Suffolk has about 200 trucks and plows ready to hit the county’s 1,600 miles of road with 19,000 tons of salt.

"Monday’s going to be a tough day," Bellone said. "We’ll see how the storm shapes up, but people should start making a plan" for Monday.

Bellone said sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph with 50 mph gusts could lead to potential power outages. Suffolk and Nassau officials said they were working with PSEG Long Island to address power outages and be ready to dispatch crews.

While the North Shore is expected to get hit first, some of the heaviest snow is forecast for the South Shore and western Suffolk County. The East End is forecast to get less snow that could mix with rain as the storm moves on.

"It’s almost universally the case, there are different impacts through the county, because it’s so enormous," Bellone said. "We’re looking at what will the days after the storm look like. It’s still freezing temperatures, so there’s a chance of ice and difficult conditions on the roadways."

Hempstead Town officials are warning of coastal flooding along the South Shore. The town is clearing storm drains and salting roadways for the storm that could bring 7 to 13 inches of snow, said Town Supervisor Don Clavin.

"It’s been bitterly cold, so the snow is going to start sticking at the beginning," Clavin said. "The only thing worse than a foot of snow is high tide and a full moon. We’re making sure boats are tied up for sustained winds and possible whiteout conditions."

The high tide surge could reach between 3 to 3½ feet in some areas and waves of 5 to 10 feet could cause "widespread dune erosion and localized washovers," the weather service said.

With Keldy Ortiz

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.com,joan.gralla@newsday.comJohnAsbury,

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.