Weather

NWS: Nor’easter won’t bring much snow to the East End

Update (March 5, 4 p.m.): The track of a coastal storm has moved further west, meaning the East End will not much snow Wednesday, forecasters said.

About 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected to fall throughout the nor’easter on Wednesday, but it will be mainly a wind and rain event for the East End, according to Jim Connolly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton.

A winter storm watch that was in effect for the eastern end of Long Island has been downgraded to a winter weather advisory, in effect from midnight to 4 a.m. on Thursday.

“Wet snow” is expected with accumulations of 2 to 4 inches, according to the advisory, but Mr. Connolly said it will be closer to 1 to 3 inches on the Twin Forks.

Road conditions will be slippery, including during the morning commute on Wednesday, the NWS said.

Snow will change over to rain by late morning, which will continue until the storm ends. “There may be a coating of snow at the end,” he said.

It will be windy, though, with some gusts up to 50 mph, he said.

Originally: While a winter storm warning was issued for areas further west on Long Island ahead of Wednesday’s nor’easter, less snow will fall on the East End, forecasters said Tuesday morning.

A winter storm watch, first issued Monday, remains in effect from late Tuesday through Thursday morning. Heavy snow is possible at times, with 3 to 8 inches expected in eastern and southwestern Suffolk County, as well as New London County in Connecticut, the National Weather Service said.

On the Twin Forks, forecasted accumulations are slightly lower — 3 to 5 inches, according to Faye Morrone, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Upton. Accumulations decrease to the east with lower amounts closer to Montauk, she said.

While the storm is expected to be a nor’easter due to the wind direction, “we’re not expecting anything near what we saw on Friday,” Ms. Marrone said. “It will be breezy and gusty at times — 30 to 35,” she said. “Obviously that pales in comparison to what we saw a few days ago.”

The snow will mainly pickup after 8 a.m. Wednesday with a high near 37. Winds will pick up in the afternoon.

The commute Wednesday evening could be difficult, particularly for those heading west.

Six to 12 inches of now is expected to fall in Nassau and northwestern Suffolk Counties and New York City, where a winter storm warning is in effect from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 4 a.m. on Thursday. “Travel will be very difficult to impossible, including during the evening commute on Wednesday, the NWS said.

Photo caption: The East End will only see 1 to 3 inches Wednesday. (Credit: National Weather Service) 

 

[email protected]