Heavy Rain Forecast This Weekend, Snow Chance Next Week

It will be a seasonably warm weekend on Long Island, but heavy rain and gusty winds are in the forecast, according to the National Weather Service.

The bulk of the rain is expected late Saturday night into Sunday afternoon. Winds may approach 30 mph, especially on the East End.

Most of Saturday should be dry, with about a 20 percent chance of light rain from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The chance of rain increases to 33 percent Saturday night and by time the sun rises on Sunday, it’s almost a guarantee that it will be raining, if you believe the National Weather Service. An inch and a half of rain is possible before the moisture moves east of the area Sunday afternoon.

Looking ahead to next week, a clipper type low pressure system will move across the region late Tuesday into Wednesday morning. The system will bring a chance of snow showers, but at the moment, forecasters are not calling for any accumulations. There has still not been any measurable snow on Long Island or in New York City this winter. The average first measurable snow in the area occurs around Dec. 9, according to Weather.com.

The full forecast:

• Today- Patchy drizzle after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Wind chill values between 30 and 35. East wind 9 to 11 mph.
• Tonight- Patchy drizzle before 2am, then patchy drizzle with a slight chance of light rain after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 38. Northeast wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Saturday- Patchy drizzle with a slight chance of light rain. Cloudy, with a high near 47. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Saturday Night- Rain likely, mainly after 3am. Cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 51 by 5am. East wind 11 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
• Sunday- Rain, mainly before 3pm. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 58. Breezy, with a southeast wind 15 to 20 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
• Sunday Night- A slight chance of rain before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Photo: AccuWeather.com