Long Island weather: Dangerous cold continues Sunday as bomb cyclone misses region

The tristate region is facing another day of dangerous cold as a bomb cyclone causing widespread hazards in the mid-Atlantic states Sunday will pass far south and east of Long Island's coast, forecasters say.

The path of the storm, which was causing hurricane conditions in the ocean off the Carolinas, could bring coastal flooding to Long Island Sunday morning and evening with the high tides and gusty winds, forecasters say. Light snow is possible on the East End.

A cold weather advisory was in effect until 10 a.m. across the region, where temperatures hovered around 10 degrees Sunday morning with wind chills of minus 5 to minus 10 degrees recorded in places, forecasters said.

At these temperatures, frostbite and hypothermia are possible if proper precautions are not taken, the National Weather says. Frostbite may occur in as little as 15 to 30 minutes on exposed skin.

Also, poorly insulated water lines along exterior walls could freeze and burst in the unrelenting cold. Some relief is expected early this week.

NWS meteorologist James Tomasini said Sunday that while Long Island will be spared the full impacts of the ocean storm, there is a chance of light snow. Any accumulation would be limited to the East End, he said.

But the area will get some "gusty winds" from the storm measuring around 20 to 25 mph, with gusts approaching 35-40 mph, Tomasini said.

"That's going to be combined with very cold air temperatures in the 20s," he said, bringing "wind chills the single digits for much of the day."

Long Island has now experienced eight consecutive days below freezing. The record for prolonged subfreezing weather was 16 days, set in 1979, according to NWS data.

Tomasini said temperatures were in the single digits and down to zero across Suffolk County Saturday. The Westhampton Airport reported an air temperature of minus 8 degrees, he said.

Through the morning, Republic Airport in East Farmingdale was reporting temperatures in the low teens and sub-zero wind chills of minus 5. Winds were out of the north at 20 mph.

Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip was reporting similar conditions and saw light snow earlier.

The forecast highs for Sunday are in the low 20s.

Early this week, highs could reach just above freezing, but after Wednesday, the highs will fall again into the 20s through next weekend. "At least through the rest of our forecast, there's no real warm-up in sight."

Newsday's Sam Kmack contributed to this report.