14 Accidents on Southern State

The struck Long Island overnight and has led to several car accidents Saturday.

According to the New York State Police, there have been at least 14 accidents on the Southern State Parkway in or near the Farmingdale area this morning. Police said there have only minor injuries so far and that the accidents have blocked lanes at times, forcing police to close lanes and divert traffic.

Stop and go traffic from Exit 33 (Route 109) is expected into the early afternoon and drivers are warned that driving conditions will continue to be dangerous for the duration of the day. Find out real-time traffic updates on Patch's Traffic tab.

The Long Island Expressway saw several crashes during the mid-morning hours. One in the eastbound lanes at Exit 48 in Plainview shut down the center and HOV lanes, police reported. A second wreck westbound at Exit 49 in Melville, about an hour later, caused traffic tie-ups.

The National Weather Service said snow will continue to fall through the morning in Farmingdale and across Long Island, with three to five inches total accumulation predicted, before turning to light freezing rain this afternoon with steady temperatures in the upper 20s and winds around 10 mph.

NWS issued a winter weather advisory before dawn Saturday, saying moderate bands of snow will develop as the morning wears on, reducing visibility on roadways. The skies should clear Saturday night, followed by sunshine and above-freezing temperatures on Sunday, the NWS predicted.

Roads have become rapidly snow covered, making driving treacherous Saturday morning. The key to safety in these conditions is to slow down, experts say.

Have you been out driving? How are the roads? Tell us in the comments.