Winter Storm Warning Issued; 4 to 8 Inches of Snow Forecast

An earlier winter storm watch for the East End of Long Island has been upgraded to a winter storm warning, in effect from midnight Wednesday night through 6 a.m. Thursday, with as many as 8 inches of snowfall predicted.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday morning that the expected snow would turn out to be mostly rain; however, the weather service then changed its forecast again Wednesday afternoon. The current weather models say that Long Island can expect between 4 and 8 inches of snowfall, with the least snowfall on the South Fork.

The heavy wet snow could cause flat roofs to collapse and tree branches to fall and it will make travel dangerous. Visibility will be only half or a quarter of a mile at times. Northeast winds will blow 20 to 30 miles per hour, with gusts of 45 miles per hour.

The snow is forecast to begin after 3 a.m. Thursday morning, then turning to sleet and rain in the daylight hours. It will change completely to rain before turning back to snow Thursday night, the weather service says.

It could snow again Friday night and Saturday morning, but not significantly.