Heavy rain, thunderstorms in LI forecast

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are likely Tuesday night, with potential flash flooding and a possible 1 to 2 more inches of rain, according to hazardous weather outlooks for Nassau and Suffolk counties issued by the National Weather Service.

The weather service also issued a statement saying a high rip current risk will be in effect Wednesday from 6 a.m. into the evening for Long Island's Atlantic Ocean beaches, with 4- to 6-foot-high surf.

In addition, a small craft advisory is in effect through Wednesday night for Long Island Sound and bays, as well as from Montauk Point to Sandy Hook, N.J.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon, forecasters monitored a slow-moving air mass full of moisture moving up from New Jersey, said David Stark, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton.

As of 10 p.m., 1.65 inches of rain had fallen in Islip, surpassing the record of 1.1 inches for the day set in 1988, forecasters said.

Other areas of the Island saw rainfall amounts ranging from a quarter of an inch to 3 inches, according to preliminary reports, Stark said.

Forecasters had earlier said LI could expect scattered showers and thunderstorms followed by periods of "scattered torrential downpours" Tuesday.

And rain remains in the forecast until Thursday, as the remnants of Hurricane Isaac continue to spin off storm systems.

Earlier in the night, the Federal Aviation Administration said arrival delays were averaging close to two hours at Kennedy, and close to two hours at LaGuardia. By 10 p.m. that was no longer the case as general arrival and departure delays were down to 15 minutes or less at Kennedy, and departures were delays between 15 minutes and 29 minutes at LaGuardia.

Delays on departures and arrivals at Long Island MacArthur Airport were 15 minutes or less.

A slow-moving front will bring another round of rain and thunderstorms on Wednesday, forecasters said, with rain possible again on Thursday morning. Overnight fog is possible.

With John Valenti