Nor'easter Nears: What to Expect on Long Island

Long Island will likely get a glancing blow from a powerful nor'easter Tuesday night and early Wednesday, the National Weather Service says.

Tuesday should stay dry while the sun is out, but rain will overspread the region after sunset and continue through the night.

The storm's current track has the low pressure system largely staying far enough away from Long Island to ensure we don't receive a direct hit.

To give you an idea of how powerful this storm is, Accuweather.com says this: "Gusts near the center of the offshore storm may approach hurricane force (74 mph or greater), while seas of 15-25 feet are likely with locally higher winds and waves."

Wind gusts on the island Tuesday night will be nowhere near that high. The East End will likely see the strongest winds with gusts topping 30 mph.

Shoreline communities that take on water during strong nor'easters should expect minor coastal flooding in the traditional low-lying areas, AccuWeather says.

The full forecast:

Tuesday- Sunny, with a high near 46. Wind chill values between 20 and 30 early. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night- Rain. Low around 39. East wind 13 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Wednesday- Rain likely, mainly before 8am. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 56. Breezy, with a north wind 17 to 22 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night- Mostly clear, with a low around 37. West wind 9 to 13 mph.

Thursday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.

Thursday Night- Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Friday- A 40 percent chance of rain after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47.

Friday Night- Rain likely, mainly before 3am. Cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

With reporting by Brian McCready