LONG ISLAND, NY — Long Island is bracing for a “significant” storm to blanket the area with heavy rain and winds Friday night into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
According to John Cristantello, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Upton office, rain could start Friday night as early as 6 or 7 p.m. By midnight, most of Long Island will have rain, he said.
The “rain event,” with a possible “rumble of storms,” is expected to begin moving out of the area, leaving Long Island dry by dawn, with the tip of the tail likely to remain in the East End area by noon , he said. .
About 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected, with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts of 45 to 50 mph at the storm's peak Friday night, Cristandello said.
Minor urban flooding is expected in urban areas and areas with poor drainage. Flash flooding is not expected to be a problem on Long Island, he said.
“The biggest story will be coastal flooding, especially along the South Coast and back bays,” where moderate to, in places, major coastal flooding is expected, he said. Waves are expected to break in a range of about 15 feet, with tides pushing in and causing extensive dune erosion and scattered overwashes, as well as sand dunes, especially in areas already affected by last week's storms.
Temperatures are expected to range from the mid to high 40s on Friday, into the low 40s on Friday night and into the mid 50s on Saturday, he said.
The system is expected to produce a total of 1 to 2 inches of rain in the Hudson Valley, New York and Long Island, Gov. Kathy Hotchul said. Hochul added that there is a slight risk of flash flooding in some areas, while moderate coastal flooding is expected on the southern shores of New York City and the southern and eastern shores of Long Island.
Beach erosion could be a problem along Orient Point's shoreline, Hochul added.
