Wintry mix Monday morning starts milder week

Long Island is expected to thaw out a bit this week but not before there will be freezing rain and snow Monday morning, the National Weather Service said.

After a cold sunny Sunday with a high of 33 degrees, the return of the dreaded "wintry mix" could cause trouble for Monday morning commuters.

"The issue's not going to be from snow. The ground's cold and the temperatures are freezing, so . . . [the rain] could create some hazardous travel," said meteorologist David Stark, at the National Weather Service in Upton.

The region could receive about an inch of snow from 3 to 10 a.m. Monday, but temperatures will rise into the mid-30s by about 9 a.m., turning snow into freezing rain and drizzle.

The precipitation will "change to plain rain" late Monday morning, a winter weather advisory stated.

Slightly warmer temperatures, with highs in the mid to upper 30s are forecast for the rest of the week. Temperatures will return to the seasonal average, with lows still in the 20s and teens, and partly cloudy skies and sunshine.

Long Island should stay mostly dry after Monday, with no significant storms currently seen approaching on radar, forecasters said.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@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.