Weekend Nor'easter Could Drop a Half-Foot of Snow on Long Island

Forecasters are keeping a close eye on a potential weekend nor’easter that could drop more than a half-foot of snow on Long Island.

The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for the entire region early Wednesday.

“The potential is there for a classic nor’easter and with the current track and magnitude...we could see significant snow and very gusty winds,” according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service’s office in Upton.

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“There is uncertainty and the precipitation in terms of amount and type will be highly dependent on the strength and exact track of the low [pressure system],” the NWS said in the hazardous weather outlook.

The current forecast calls for increasing chances of mainly snow across the entire region going into Saturday and continuing into Saturday evening before tapering off late at night. The nor’easter could result in snow accumulations ”in excess of 6 inches,” the NWS says.

Before the potential winter whopper, the island will likely get a small taste of snow on Wednesday, with a 70 percent chance of precipitation Wednesday night, the NWS says.

The latest NWS forecast:

• Today- A chance of light snow after 3pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 35. Wind chill values between 20 and 30. Northeast wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Tonight- Light snow likely, mainly before 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 24. Wind chill values between 15 and 20. North wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Thursday- Partly sunny, with a high near 38. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.
• Thursday Night- Mostly clear, with a low around 24. Wind chill values between 15 and 20. Northwest wind around 9 mph.
• Friday- Sunny, with a high near 34. Northwest wind around 9 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
• Friday Night- A chance of snow after midnight. Increasing clouds, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Saturday- Snow likely, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 34. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Saturday Night- A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Blustery. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

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Photo: Flickr/Creative Commons/MTA- Crews remove snow and salt platforms at the LIRR station in Hicksville in December 2013.