Hurricane Jose: Long Island Under Hazardous Weather Outlook

The National Weather Service has now issued a hazardous weather outlook for Long Island due to potential impacts from Hurricane Jose next week.

Jose, currently Category 1 storm with winds of 80 mph, was located about 550 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C. as of 5 a.m. Saturday. It's now expected to begin turning toward the north. A tropical storm watch may be needed for a portion of the North Carolina coast later Saturday, the National Hurricane Center says.

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For Long Island, "a period of heavy rain and strong gusty winds are possible Tuesday into Wednesday, however the intensity will be dependent on the exact track and strength of the storm," the hazardous weather outlook says.

Building swells will also pose an increasing threat for high surf, dune erosion, localized washovers and dangerous rip currents along the Long Island ocean beachfront this weekend through early next week.

The NHC says there's now a 20-30 percent chance of tropical storm-force winds, meaning 39 mph or more, on Long Island. If Jose maintains its track, tropical storm-force winds are possible from 2 a.m. Tuesday through 2 a.m. Wednesday. The strongest winds are likely on the East End.

Jose is expected to remain a couple hundred miles offshore, but a hurricane does not need to make landfall to cause significant adverse effects in the Northeast since the shape of the coast tends to enhance storm effects and trap ocean water, according to AccuWeather.

And the NWS says it's important to note that typical forecast track errors 4-5 days out generally range from around 175 to 225 miles, respectively.

The Long Island forecast:

Saturday- Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 79. Light and variable wind becoming east around 6 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night- Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Sunday- Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 77. Northeast wind 3 to 7 mph.

Sunday Night- Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind around 6 mph.

Monday- A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. East wind 9 to 11 mph.

Monday Night- A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Tuesday- Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 73. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night- Tropical storm conditions possible. A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wednesday- Tropical storm conditions possible. A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77.

Wednesday Night- Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.

Photo: AccuWeather