What Blizzard? Projected Snow Totals Slashed, But More Than 5,000 Without Power

Long Island won't see even close to the total snow accumulations that had been expected Tuesday, but the potential for coastal flooding and power outages will remain as the storm lashes the region through the afternoon.

RELATED: Long Island Snow Total Reports 3/14/17

Snowfall projections have decreased significantly across the island as snow is mixing with sleet and rain Tuesday morning and will possibly turn to all rain in the afternoon, the National Weather Service says. Parts of Nassau County could still see up to 6 inches of snow, but on the East End just 1-3 inches is now expected to accumulate. (For updates on the storm and other local stories that affect you, subscribe to Patch's daily newsletter and breaking news alerts for your Long Island neighborhood.)

So what happened? The storm track continued to slide westward overnight, bringing the bulk of the snow to areas north and west of the island. Predictions of 2-4 inches of snow an hour on Long Island Tuesday morning just haven't materialized. The forecast for the storm was so dire just 18 hours ago that most Long Island school districts announced Tuesday closures by Monday evening.

"The 1 foot plus snows look to be confined to areas near and just north and west of New York City northward," Joe Cioffi, a meteorologist for WPIX and FiOS1, wrote on his website. "This is what happens when you get a coast hugger that is too far west by about 50-60 miles."

That's not to say the rest of Tuesday will be a walk in the park. All blizzard and winter storm warnings have now been canceled for the island, but we will still be dealing with some pretty crummy weather that could produce coastal flooding and power outages.

Coastal flooding warnings have been issued. Southern Nassau and southwestern Suffolk are under a warning until 2 p.m. A coastal flood warning for the East End will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Northern Nassau, and northwestern Suffolk will be under a warning from noon until 4 p.m.

High tides up to 3 and a half feet above normal may cause moderate flooding of the most vulnerable waterfront and shoreline roads, the warnings say. Road closures may be needed.

A coastal flood warning means that flooding is expected or occurring. Coastal residents in the warned area should be alert for rising water and take appropriate action to protect life and property, the NWS says.

The storm will also churn up 10-foot seas in the Atlantic Ocean that will likely cause significant dune erosion and localized wash-overs along the ocean beachfront Tuesday.

Strong gusty winds also remain a threat, with isolated gusts of 55-60 mph possible. As of noon., PSEG Long Island is reporting that more than 5,500 of its customers are without power. Nearly 4,000 of those outages are in Suffolk County. See the PSEG outage map here.

If the weather is getting you down, take solace: Spring is just six days away. And here's a photo of a warm summer day at Jones Beach if you need it.

The full forecast:

Tuesday- Rain, snow, and sleet before 2pm, then rain and sleet between 2pm and 5pm, then rain likely, possibly mixed with snow and sleet after 5pm. The rain, snow, and sleet could be heavy at times. High near 38. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. Windy, with a northeast wind 24 to 34 mph, with gusts as high as 47 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow and sleet accumulation of around an inch possible.

Tuesday Night- A chance of snow and freezing rain before 7pm, then a chance of snow between 7pm and 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. Windy, with a northwest wind 21 to 28 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday- Scattered snow showers, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. Breezy, with a northwest wind 17 to 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday Night- Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. Wind chill values between 5 and 15. Northwest wind around 18 mph.

Thursday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Breezy, with a west wind 16 to 21 mph.