Few Power Outages in Smithtown as Sleet, Snow Hits Region

Residents of Smithtown hard hit by Tropical Storm Irene are holding their breaths Saturday night as a wind-swept rain and snow storm pummels the region.

So far, the Long Island Power Authority is reporting no more than 50 power outages in the greater Smithtown area, but the National Weather Service is predicting sustained winds near 35 miles per hour through the night, with gusts as strong as 65 miles per hour.

Earlier Saturday, cold rain-soaked the Smithtown area, briefly turning to sleet in the afternoon. However, an overnight drop in temperatures could mean snow accumulations up to a few inches after midnight.

When Irene hit Long Island in late August, , some for as long as a week. Most were caused by fallen trees or branches taking out power lines.