Hurricane Nate Makes Landfall: What To Expect On Long Island

Hurricane Nate sprinted toward landfall, moving faster than any hurricane on record, slamming into the mouth of the Mississippi River southeast Louisiana just before 8 p.m. ET Saturday as a Category 1 storm. Nate may cause dangerous storm surges in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, but the storm should weaken rapidly as it moves through the eastern United States over the next few days.

What does that mean for Long Island?

The forecast has actually improved over the past 24 hours. There is no longer a threat of tropical storm-force winds (sustained winds of 39 mph or higher) locally. We are still likely to see a decent amount of rain, though.

There's a chance of showers Sunday before more widespread rainfall arrives for Columbus Day, the National Weather Service says. Moderate to at times heavy rain is expected late Sunday night into Monday night before the rain tapers off by Tuesday morning. The best chance for heavy rain will come Monday afternoon into Monday night. There's also a slight chance of thunderstorms throughout the day Monday.

Nate made landfall in Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish, located southeast of New Orleans, where devastating Hurricane Katrina also hit in 2005. Flood gates separating Plaquemines Parish and St. Bernard Parish were closed Saturday in advance of the approaching storm.

The worst conditions in New Orleans were expected through 3 a.m. Sunday and winds and surges are expected to be main threats, the NWS says.

Workers close the floodgate separating St. Bernard Parish from the East Bank of Plaquemines Parish, in Violet, Louisiana, in preparation for Hurricane Nate, expected to make landfall on the Gulf Coast, Saturday. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

The full Long Island forecast:

Sunday- A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly between 8am and 3pm. Areas of fog before noon. Otherwise, cloudy, with a steady temperature around 71. South wind around 17 mph.

Sunday Night- A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after midnight. Cloudy, with a steady temperature around 70. Southwest wind 8 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Monday- A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 72. South wind 13 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Monday Night- Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then a chance of showers. Low around 67. Breezy, with a southwest wind 16 to 21 mph decreasing to 9 to 14 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tuesday- Partly sunny, with a high near 78.

Tuesday Night- Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Wednesday- Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

NWS images