Winter storm warning in effect for Thursday: with heavy snow, high winds forecast

A winter storm warning is now in effect for Thursday for Suffolk County, where snow accumulations of six to 10 inches are expected, according to the National Weather Service, which issued the warning early this morning.

Heavy snow and blowing snow are expected, with blizzard conditions possible. Locally higher accumulations in excess of one foot are possible, the weather service said. Winds of 30 to 40 mph are forecast with the potential for 45-50 mph gusts for eastern coastal areas, the weather service said.

The winter storm warning is in effect from 1 a.m. to midnight Thursday. A gale warning is in effect for the Long Island Sound, Peconic and Gardiners bays.

The polar jet stream will dip down into the Southeast today, as a low pressure develops off the Florida coast and tracks north, according to NWS forecasters. The low is expected to pass near or just east of the 40/70 benchmark Thursday afternoon.

The “benchmark” is a key winter storm forecast indicator. Located about 100 miles southeast of Montauk Point, it is marked by the coordinates 40 North and 70 West. Most major east coast snowstorms pass over or near the 40/70 benchmark as they move north-northeast.

Riverhead Highway Superintendent Gio Woodson said highway crews have been prepping trucks, plows and equipment and the department is ready for the storm. He issued an early plea for people to stay off the roads during the storm. Vehicles on local roads make the highway department’s work difficult, especially when visibilities are reduced due to blowing snow.

“People get stuck, even in four-wheel-drive vehicles, and that slows us down and prevents us from doing our job,” Woodson said.

The highway superintendent also urged residents to move their parked cars off local roads, especially downtown and in developments, to allow plows to make a clear pass. Cars should be parked in driveways or yards to keep the roads open for plows, he said.