Long Island Weather Forecast: 3 to 5 inches of snow, Sleet Saturday, Sunday

On By Littum

Three to five inches of snow and gossip are expected to coat Long Island overnight Saturday to Sunday, according to National Weather Service Meteorologists.

The Weather Service issued a winter storm wall on Thursday afternoon in effect from Saturday night to Sunday morning for Nassau and Suffolk counties plus the five districts and other areas of southeastern New York and northeastern New Jersey.

The storm begins with snow falling on Saturday afternoon or evening, according to Joe Pollina, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Upton Office. The precipitation will “then change over to a winter blend – snow and gossip – around midnight” with a lighter blend or even rain in some areas on Sunday morning, Pollina said.

The roads are likely to be most dangerous overnight Saturday to Sunday “When we see the heavier rainfall move in” and gossip makes any untreated roads smooth, according to Pollina.

A winter storm wall is typically issued up to 48 hours before the snowfall when the weather service is 50% sure that an area will receive 6 inch rainfall of 12 hours or 8 inches in 24 hours, Pollina said. Within 24 to 36 hours after snowfall, Weather Service will typically update the alarm to a winter storm warning if meteorologists are 80% sure of this forecast, or issue a winter storm advice if meteorologists are 80% sure that an area will only receive an area 3 to 6 inches of snow.

“There is still some uncertainty so far out,” Pollina said in a phone interview on Thursday afternoon. “There is still the possibility that we could see 6 inches over Long Island on average.”

Long Islanders should keep their snow boots and other winter equipment nearby after this weekend’s storm. Snow is expected to start falling again late Tuesday afternoon and tapered that night, Pollina said.

“The steadily rainfall probably ends around dawn on Wednesday,” but a chance for snow showers will remain throughout Wednesday, the meteorologist said. The weather service monitors another low pressure system that could drop another dose of wintry mix on Long Island on Thursday.