60 MPH Winds, A Full Moon Mean Serious Flooding Concerns For LI

LONG ISLAND, NY — We will be spared the snow (for the most part), but it seems like everything else is on the table for Long Island from a nor'easter that will barrel into the region Sunday night into Monday.

Coastal flood watches have been issued across the island. They will be in effect from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday.

"The potential for major coastal flooding (3 feet above ground) is highest for the vulnerable areas of southern Nassau County, southwestern Suffolk County and along Peconic Bay and the Peconic riverfront as well as northeastern Suffolk," the National Weather Service said. "This potential will depend on strong easterly winds continuing through the time of high tide Monday morning. The higher probability at this time is that winds will weaken and shift to the south before high tide, which would likely keep flooding at moderate flood levels (2 to 2-and-a-half feet above ground).

A wind advisory will also be in effect for Nassau County and western Suffolk from midnight Sunday until 10 a.m. Monday. The strongest winds, up to 65 mph, are expected in eastern Suffolk where a high wind watch has been issued for the same time period.

The first full moon of 2022 on Monday will exacerbate flooding concerns and the Atlantic-facing shoreline will get hammered with 10-15 foot waves, resulting in significant beach erosion and flooding, the weather service said.

Most of Sunday will be dry, but freezing cold. Precipitation moves in during the evening and it may briefly start as snow, but no accumulation is expected before it changes to rain.

The heaviest rain and strongest winds are likely before sunrise Monday.

The full forecast:

Saturday Night- Mostly clear, with a low around 7. Wind chill values between zero and 5. North wind 6 to 11 mph.

Sunday- Increasing clouds, with a high near 40. Wind chill values between -5 and 5. Northeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

Sunday Night- Snow likely before 8pm, then rain and snow likely between 8pm and 10pm, then rain after 10pm. Temperature rising to around 45 by 4am. Windy, with an east wind 13 to 18 mph increasing to 26 to 31 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 49 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Monday- A chance of rain before 5pm, then a slight chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 38 by 5pm. Windy, with a southeast wind 20 to 26 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Monday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. West wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 33. Breezy.

Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 20.

Wednesday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42.