Snowfall of up to 7 inches forecast for parts of Long Island, meteorologists say

As much as 7 inches of snow is expected to fall on parts of Long Island overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

The agency said 3 to 5 inches is likely in parts of Long Island and the surrounding tri-state area, with 4 to 6 inches expected in Suffolk County. The National Weather Service's Saturday afternoon forecast said local accumulations in Suffolk County may reach 7 inches, which would track as the largest single-event snowfall in almost four years.

"Suffolk County is prepared," Mike Marino, a spokesman for the county, said in an email. 

Dominic Ramunni, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Upton office, said "a little bit more moisture" is expected from the storm compared with earlier forecasts, driving up possible accumulation amounts. 

Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service, with frigid temperatures lingering through the early part of the week. 

Snow is expected to develop across Long Island on Saturday evening, said Ramunni, with a "steady, moderate snowfall" continuing through Sunday morning. Snowfall rates could reach 1 inch per hour during overnight leading into Sunday morning, he said. 

The precipitation may start as rain before turning into snow, according to the weather service. Reduced visibility and icy roads are expected to make travel hazardous, officials said. 

Ramunni said the National Weather Service's Islip station is expected to receive 5 inches of snow, which would make it the highest level of accumulation the area has experienced in a single snowfall since January 2022, when a blizzard pounded the region. 

Temperatures on Long Island are colder than normal, said National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Pollina

The normal temperature for this time of year "is in the mid-40s, so we’re going to see highs in the low 40s today and then overnight tonight in the 20s. And then Sunday, highs generally in the low 30s, maybe some mid-30s across the East End, Twin Forks areas," Pollina said.

In a news release, the weather service described the snowfall as "wet snow (possibly mixed with rain at onset) this eve, becoming dry and powdery late tonight into Sunday morning."

The release said travel on local roads could become hazardous between Saturday night and Sunday morning. The snowfall is expected to end before Sunday afternoon, according to the weather service.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said during a news conference Saturday that a fleet of around 70 county trucks will begin salting the county's roads around 10 p.m.

He said the county is readying for worse-than-forecasted outcomes, so emergency officials are "prepared for anything that may happen."

He urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, adding that power outages caused by the storm were possible.

“This is Mother Nature,” Blakeman said. “It could be 1 to 3 inches, it could be 6 to 7 inches.”

Daytime temperatures are expected to remain at or below freezing on Sunday and Monday, and increase to 34 degrees on Tuesday, according to the forecast. The National Weather Service on Saturday afternoon expanded a winter weather advisory to include most of the tri-state region. 

The low temperatures mean the snow is likely to stay on the ground through the middle of next week, Pollina said.

"On Monday, it’s going to be generally below freezing for much of the region. And slightly above freezing on Tuesday, highs in the mid-to-low 30s," he said. "The snow should probably stick around until at least Tuesday."

A little relief is on the way later in the week, with highs of 43 forecast for Wednesday and 51 for Thursday under partly sunny skies.