LONG ISLAND, NY — The National Weather Service says confidence is increasing that the area will be impacted by a potent low pressure system late Sunday into Monday. The key question will be what kind of precipitation falls on Long Island.
The storm "has the potential to pack a punch with a period of heavy snow on its cold northwestern flank and heavy rain or heavy snow changing to rain on its warmer southeastern side," AccuWeather.com says.
At the moment, it looks like Long Island will end up on the southeastern side so the National Weather Service says there's a 90 percent chance of rain and snow late Sunday night into Monday morning.
Find out what's happening in Merrickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A whole lot can change in five days, though.
A shift in the storm's track by a mere 50 miles could mean a true nor'easter with the island getting buried in snow, according to AccuWeather.
Find out what's happening in Merrickfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Either way, the Weather Channel says to expect major travel disruptions in the Northeast, including flight cancellations.
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The full forecast:
Wednesday Night- Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 33. West wind 3 to 6 mph.
Thursday- Increasing clouds, with a high near 45. Light and variable wind.
Thursday Night- A chance of rain after 10pm, mixing with snow after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 34. Light northeast wind becoming north 5 to 9 mph in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday- A chance of rain and snow before 10am, then a chance of rain between 10am and 1pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Wind chill values between 25 and 30. Breezy, with a north wind 11 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday Night- Mostly clear, with a low around 9. Blustery, with a north wind 16 to 20 mph.
Saturday- Increasing clouds and cold, with a high near 20.
Saturday Night- Mostly cloudy, with a low around 11.
Sunday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.
Sunday Night- Rain and snow, mainly after 1am. Low around 26. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday- Rain likely before 1pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday Night- Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.
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