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Forecasters Warn of Frozen Slush on Long Island

Long Island polar vortex

Watch out for frozen snow and slush left over from Tuesday’s nor’easter.

That’s the message from forecasters at the National Weather Service’s Upton office, as temperatures will remain in the low 20s throughout the day.

“As a result, untreated surfaces will be very slippery, and extra caution should be used while out and about today,” the weather service said in a special weather statement.

Wednesday will also feature strong wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour capable of bringing down slush-covered branches and power lines, forecasters said. The evening forecast calls for a low of 17 degrees and continued wind gusts.

PSEG Long Island said only 2-percent of its customers lost power due to the storm. As of Wednesday morning, approximately 100 ratepayers were without power.

While Long Island escaped the worst of the storm’s wrath—a predicted 24 inches on LI—what was left over was a frozen mess, including a mixture of snow and slush. The storm featured a wintry mix that officials warned could pose a danger to drivers.

Wednesday’s commute appeared to get off to a good start with the Long Island Rail Road reporting normal service in the morning aside for temporary delays on the Port Washington branch.

The storm caused thousands of flight cancellations across the East Coast, including at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports. On Wednesday, both airports were reporting weather-related flight disruptions.

For those flying out of LaGuardia, the airport urged travelers to “budget extra time” until Friday in order to accommodate rebooked passengers from cancelled flights.

Bus service is Nassau and Suffolk counties were running normal routes but delays are expected due to icy conditions.

As for the rest of the week, forecasters are calling for sunny skies Thursday with a high near 33 and wind gusts of up to 34 mph. The temperature will rise slightly Friday, peaking at 39 degrees. Saturday could bring a mix of rain and snow.