Long Island saw its first measurable snowfall of the winter season—a possible prelude to another round of the white stuff later this week.
Although the snow wasn’t significant by any serious measure, it was notable nonetheless because the Island had so far only seen a trace amount of flurries this winter.
The National Weather Service’s Upton office reported up to an inch of snow across LI. The weather service reports only “measurable” snowfall, which it recognizes as a tenth of an inch.
The most prolonged dry spat on record was in 1995, when snowfall wasn’t recorded in Islip until Feb. 4, according to the agency’s forecasters.
Even though LI didn’t approach record-breaking territory this year, the fact that it hadn’t snowed was becoming a story in it of itself.
“We are definitely on the later side,” said Fay Barthold, meteorologist at the weather service.
Central Park just recently recorded it’s first measurable snowfall of the winter! Please send us your reports with pictures of measurements.
— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 17, 2016
Snow began falling Sunday afternoon and continued early into the evening.
LI commuters awoke to biting cold Monday morning. Expect temperatures 10 degrees below normal Monday and Tuesday, Barthold said, before more moderate temperatures return mid-week.
Wind chill values for Monday are between 10 to 15 degrees. Tuesday may be even more blustery, with the wind chill sending the mercury plunging to between zero and 10 degrees.
There were no reported service delays on the Long Island Rail Road, which is operating on a holiday schedule as the nation recognizes Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Meanwhile, meteorologists are beginning to scrutinize a system that may bring the first winter storm of the year on Friday, according to a hazardous weather outlook statement posted by NWS. As of now, little is known as to how much snow, if any, will fall. The current forecast has snow “likely” Friday night into Saturday.
“Still really far out,” Barthold said of the possible storm. “Obviously things can change, but the potential is still there.”
