'Significant' Winter Storm Possible This Week For Long Island

LONG ISLAND, NY — A late week winter storm is brewing and forecasters say it could intensify enough to be classified as a bomb cyclone.

The National Weather Service has already issued a hazardous weather outlook for Long Island.

"There is the potential for a coastal storm to bring heavy snowfall and high winds to portions of the area Friday night into Saturday night," the outlook says. "Uncertainties remain with the track and intensity of the coastal storm and its resulting potential impacts."

The current hour-by-hour forecast says snow is likely from 7 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday. The storm timeline will certainly change over the next few days and no accumulation estimates have been made yet.

There have been several near-miss storms for the island this winter, but this one seem like it could be the real deal.

"The late-week pattern looks a little different in that the jet stream dip will orientate in such a way as to help guide the storm northward along the coast and not out to sea," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno says.

The storm could intensify enough from Friday to Saturday to be classified as a bomb cyclone as it moves northward toward New England.

The barometric pressure, or central pressure of the storm has to fall at least 24 millibars, or 0.71 inches, in 24 hours to be considered a bomb cyclone.

"The time of the year and the current pattern is ripe for an East Coast snowstorm this weekend," Rayno says.

The full forecast:

Monday Night- A 40 percent chance of snow showers, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 34 by 3am. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph after midnight.

Tuesday- A slight chance of snow showers before 8am, then a slight chance of rain showers between 8am and 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. Southwest wind 8 to 11 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Night- Mostly clear, with a low around 17. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. North wind around 8 mph.

Wednesday- Sunny, with a high near 26. Wind chill values between 5 and 15. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph.

Wednesday Night- Mostly clear, with a low around 10. North wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday- Sunny, with a high near 30.

Thursday Night- Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Friday- A 40 percent chance of snow after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37.

Friday Night- Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday- A chance of rain and snow before 1pm, then a chance of snow and sleet between 1pm and 4pm, then a chance of snow after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 33. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday Night- Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15.

Sunday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 28.