Storm Leads to 120 Suffolk Crashes in 3 Hours

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Tuesday's blast of winter weather sparked a large number of crashes across Suffolk County.

According to Suffolk Police, there were 120 crashes between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. countywide. One of them involved a school bus in Commack, but no students were onboard.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for Long Island, which is in effect until midnight Tuesday.

Jay Engle, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said temperatures Tuesday morning were 25 to 26 degrees, more than five degrees below freezing. What happens then, he said, is that when crews treat roadways, the salt has difficulty working. "When they treat the roads it's not as effective," he said, adding that those factors could have contributed to the high number of crashes.

A total of 1-3 inches of snow was expected to accumulate on the island.

Snow, which was moderate to potentially heavy at times Tuesday morning has mixed with sleet/freezing rain, the NWS says.

Looking toward evening, temperatures are expected to rise into the 30s, with the winter event turning to rain, with no ice expected, Engle said.

Local officials have warned that the roads during the evening commute can potentially be slick; motorists are still urged to take precautions.

Patch photo by Lisa Finn.