NEW YORK — Investigators digging up the basement of a building in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood in connection to the 1979 disappearance of a 6-year-old boy have stopped for the day.

FBI spokesman Jim Margolin says the halt Sunday was for several reasons, including the weather. Heavy rains are expected in the region Sunday night into Monday. The work in the basement is expected to resume Monday morning.

FBI officials are looking for any traces of Etan Patz (AY’-tahn payts). He was on his way to his school bus stop when he disappeared. He would have passed the stairwell leading to the basement during his walk.

Authorities say they began the search after an FBI dog indicated the scent of human remains in the room.