Light snow forecast for Long Island Monday

Long Island is expected to receive up to half an inch of snow Monday morning, as the National Weather Service forecasts the first snowfall of the year.

Matthew Wunsch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton, said that snow should begin in the late morning around 10 or 11 a.m. and should begin to ease in the late afternoon between 3 and 6 p.m.

The system will move from west to east, and so coastal areas closer to New York City may take on the most accumulation of snow.

“The higher totals will kind of be for areas south and west, kind of closer to like Southern Nassau or New York City, with lower snowfall totals to the north and east over, kind of like on the northern fringe of the system,” Wunsch said.

The snow should not intensely affect the evening commute for major roadways, since it will mostly fall during the day and be light.

But for roads less traveled, the snow may be a slight cause of concern.

“We’re not expecting, really that to be an issue,” Wunsch said.

The Town of Riverhead issued a traffic advisory for Monday urging drivers to take extra caution , as the snow can create slippery conditions.

Wunsch said that accumulated snow will most likely be visible on the ground for a few days, as Long Island will stay dry but with below-freezing temperatures until Friday.