Bitter cold weekend ahead, after light snow dusted Long Island

Light snow dusted Long Island throughout Friday, sparing the Island the heavier stuff that fell in parts west, but a frigid air mass descending from northern Canada will still make for an extremely cold weekend, forecasters said.

While heavy snow fell on parts of New Jersey, Long Island got about an inch or less of fluffy flakes after the storm tracked more to the southwest, the National Weather Service said. Still, the weather service warned that the lingering precipitation, combined with the cold temperatures, will make for icy conditions.

Overnight into Saturday the bitter cold that struck much of the nation this week will make its way to Long Island. Temperatures will be in the low 20s Saturday, going down to the teens at night. But wind chills will make it feel like it's in the single digits.

Sunday, it will be ever so slightly warmer — in the low 30s, but wind chills will again make it feel like it's below 10 degrees.

The winds will not be strong — most likely no more than 15 mph — but Newsday meteorologist Bill Korbel noted, “That's all it takes” to feel the difference.

The arctic air could stay on Long Island through Monday morning. Forecasters have warned the freezing temperatures through the weekend could cause frostbite on skin exposed for more than an hour. Poorly insulated pipes could also freeze and burst.

Korbel said the weekend won't bring the coldest air Long island has ever experienced.

“This really isn't bitter cold,” he said. “It's moderately cold but considering that we haven't had much cold weather until now, it's more noticeable, and of course, for anybody who doesn't have a place to go, it can be deadly.”

Long Island won't reach above-freezing temperatures until Monday afternoon, when the high will be 36 with abundant sunshine, rising to the low 40s Tuesday before dipping back into the 30s by week's end.

The heart of winter, which usually has the coldest weather, is from mid-January to mid-February, Korbel said, while February is usually the snowiest month.

The storm Friday left relatively little snow on the ground. As of 5 p.m. Friday, Islip got just half an inch and Upton got 1.1 inches, according to the weather service.

The last time Long Island experienced a heavy snowstorm was on Jan. 29, 2022, when McArthur Airport received about 2 feet of snow. Since then, Long Island hasn't gotten more than 3 inches. 

In Nassau, warming centers are open at Cantiague Park and the Wantagh administration building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 24 hours at Mitchel Field, 1 Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in Uniondale; and from 8 a.m. to midnight at the community room in Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center at Bethpage Community Park.

Anyone in need of shelter from the cold overnight can call the Nassau County Winter Homeless Hotline at 866-WARMBED (927-6233).

The Town of Huntington will also be opening warming centers at several locations Friday night through Sunday. They include: 

Clark Gillies Dix Hills Ice Rink

575 Vanderbilt Pkwy, Dix Hills, NY

4:00 pm - 10:00 pm

(No ice rink activities for those utilizing the warming center)

Manor Field Park Field House

110 E 5th St. Huntington, NY

12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

John J. Flanagan Huntington Senior Center

423 Park Ave, Huntington, NY 11743

12:00 noon – 10:00 pm

With John Asbury