Snow Total Estimates Rise For Long Island As Nor'easter Nears

LONG ISLAND, NY — Heavy snow and winds gusting up to 55 mph will make travel very difficult to impossible Saturday on Long Island, the National Weather Service says.

Snow total estimates have risen slightly from earlier forecasts with 10-15 inches of accumulation likely across the island before the snow tapers off Saturday evening. The highest amounts are expected on the East End.

Snow could fall at a rate of 1-2 inches an hour during the peak of the storm after sunrise Saturday.

"With high pressure to the north and cold air in place, the ingredients are set for a significant snowfall event for parts of the Northeast this weekend," the weather service said in a forecast discussion Thursday night.

The strongest winds will likely pound the island late Saturday morning into the afternoon. Blizzard conditions are possible, especially in eastern Suffolk County, and the wind could down trees and power lines, causing power outages.