Weather service: 'Significant precipitation' possible this weekend

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook Wednesday morning, advising Long Islanders of a potential storm that may bring "significant precipitation" this weekend.

A strengthening coastal low could dump snow and sleet or just rain on Long Island Saturday through early Sunday, depending on the path of the system, forecasters said.

As of late afternoon, however, meteorologist Joe Pollina said models indicated the precipitation would likely be "more in the way of rain than snow," starting late morning to early afternoon Saturday and ending possibly as late as Sunday afternoon for those in eastern Long Island.

Still, if the storm tracks farther east than currently expected, it would bring in colder air off the ocean, and snow would be back in the picture, he said.

In its hazardous weather outlook, the service said "there is still quite a bit of uncertainty" in the storm's strength and path.