LI posts record temperature of 61 degrees

Long Island's unusually mild winter continued Thursday with record warmth, the National Weather Service said.

The Upton-based service recorded 61 degrees at 11:47 a.m., marking the highest temperature for Feb. 23 since records were kept on the Island. The springlike weather broke the previous high of 59 degrees for the date, recorded in 1992 at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma and in 1985 at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton.

Thursday's high was recorded at the airport. The figures kept by the National Weather Service date to 1984, and Brookhaven's records go back to 1948.

Earlier in the day, it appeared Central Park's record of 72 degrees -- recorded in 1869 -- was in jeopardy. But meteorologist Mike Layer said the warmest it got at New York City's National Historic Landmark was 57 degrees at 11 a.m.

Since Dec. 24, Long Island has had 17 days of 50 degrees or warmer, according to statistics from the Weather Service.

The service also issued a special weather statement Thursday for brush fire danger on Long Island. Based on the low amount of monthly rainfall and dry, windy conditions, brush fires could spread rapidly if ignited, the service said.

Most areas have received less than a half-inch of rainfall for the month, and Thursday's west winds, ranging from 15 to 28 mph, were predicted to be from 17 to 37 mph Friday, the special weather statement said.

But rain was expected early Friday morning and possibly Friday night into Saturday. Total rainfall amounts could be up to a quarter of an inch, the service said.

Weekend temperatures are expected to then drop, with lows in the high 20s and highs in the 40s, the weather service said.