Long Island weather: 1 to 3 inches of wet snow Monday evening into Tuesday

Up to three inches of wet snow is forecast Monday into Tuesday, putting an end to the mostly snowless winter Long Islanders have seen this year, forecasters say. 

The National Weather Service is calling for the snow/rain mix Monday night through Tuesday morning as “a pretty cold system” moves into the area, said meteorologist Bryan Ramsey.

Expect to see flakes around 6 p.m. Monday, followed by a mix of snow and rain when a low of 34 degrees is expected, forecasters said. After a high of 40, wind chills are expected to make it feel like it's between 25 and 30 degrees at night.

The snow shouldn’t disrupt commuters since ice isn’t a concern, Ramsey said. Still, he cautioned Long Islanders to drive carefully. Up to one inch of snow per hour is possible Monday night, the weather service said. 

Coastal areas could see wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph overnight Monday, which brings the risk of widespread minor flooding for south Nassau, the weather service said. 

Snowfall is likely to resume early Tuesday before 7 a.m., followed by more rain and snow, the weather service said. Accumulation of less than half an inch is possible Tuesday and a high of 42 is expected with a low of 31 and gusty winds.

This is poised to be the most significant snowfall Long Island has seen this year, Ramsey said. So far, only 0.7 inches of snow has been recorded, he said. He called the dry season “unprecedented.”

The weather station at Long Island MacArthur Airport, which records snow totals dating back to the early '60s, only has nine years on record when Long Island saw fewer than 10 inches of snow, Ramsey said.

Conditions will stay dry Wednesday, when temperatures will climb to a high of 46, the weather service said. Rain could return Wednesday night and linger through Thursday, when forecasters are calling for a 50% chance of precipitation. 

Temperatures will continue to warm up Thursday when a high of 54 is expected, but don’t ditch your winter coat just yet — another storm system could dump more snow on Long Island Friday and Saturday, Ramsey said.

By Brinley Hineman

brinley.hineman@newsday.com

Brinley Hineman covers the Town of Hempstead and the City of Long Beach for Newsday. She previously was a reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a West Virginia native.