Return Of The Polar Vortex: May Snow Possible On Long Island

Snow on Long Island in May? Yup, it's possible.

The Arctic blast arriving Friday will send temperatures in the mid-level atmosphere plummeting, possibly hitting minus 40 degrees Celsius over the Great Lakes, a first anywhere in the U.S. in May, said Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore.

For those of us at ground level, instead of in the 70s, highs will stay in the 50s. Lows will be in the 30s.

Rain moves in Friday afternoon and sticks around into the night. There's a chance of some snowflakes, but just a trace of accumulation, if any, early Saturday. We can't tell you the most likely timing of any white stuff since the National Weather Service does not have a snow section in its hourly forecast in May.

"The crazy pattern is being set into motion by a break-off lobe of the polar vortex or a displacement of the same," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.

It will be more than 20 degrees warmer in Alaska than on Long Island Saturday as record warmth surges up the West Coast.

Mother's Day Sunday on the island should be sunny, with a high near 58.

Dry and unseasonably cool conditions are then likely to continue through the middle of
next week, the weather service said.

The latest Long Island weather forecast:

Thursday- Sunny, with a high near 64. Northwest wind around 9 mph.

Thursday Night- Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind 9 to 11 mph.

Friday- Rain likely after 2pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 57. Northwest wind around 8 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday Night- Rain. Low around 38. South wind 9 to 16 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday- A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.

Saturday Night- Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Breezy.

Sunday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

Sunday Night- Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Monday- A 40 percent chance of rain after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.

Monday Night- A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Tuesday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.