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Winter Storm to Drop 3 to 5 Inches of Snow on Long Island

Winter storm
Satellite image of winter storm hitting Long Island this weekend. (Photo: National Weather Service)
Satellite image of winter storm hitting Long Island this weekend. (Photo: National Weather Service)

The light snow Long Islanders woke up to Saturday morning could pick up in intensity later in the day, possibly dropping up to 5 inches of snow on the area, forecasters said.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday as the winter storm moves across Long Island. Expect heavier storm to fall late in the afternoon before mixing with sleet and freezing rain and then eventually turning to only rain, said National Weather Service forecasters in Upton. But the snow could be heavy at times in the early evening, meteorologists said.

Forecasters predicted snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches Saturday. Temperatures will be in the low 30s during most of the day and wind gusts of up to 40 mph are possible, meteorologists said.

In a special weather statement, the NWS noted that visibility could drop to as low as half a mile at times during the day. Up to 2 inches of snow could accumulate before the afternoon.

The weather service also warned of possible coastal flooding Sunday morning along the Long Island Sound, South Shore and Peconic Bay.

In response to the winter storm, Suffolk County opened its emergency operations center at 7 a.m.

“Suffolk County Department of Public Works will monitor County road conditions and begin salting roads when appropriate to allow for the least amount of snow accumulation,” the county said.

Temperatures across LI are expected to rise to the high 30s overnight.