Long Island forecast: Rain to start week, then gradual clearing

Long Islanders can expect dreary weather at the beginning of the week giving way to a seasonable start for April.

The forecast calls for occasional rain or drizzle Sunday with a high in the lower 50s, according to the National Weather Service. That’s right around the average high of 51 degrees at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, according to weather service data.

“High temperatures will be only a few degrees below normal in spite of the rain and clouds,” the weather service said in its regional summary. “A weak cold front then moves through [Sunday night] with rain chances dropping off this evening, and likely remaining dry overnight.

The light rain has about a 50% chance of continuing through Sunday night when the temperature drops down to the mid-40s.

Monday’s forecast calls for a chance of rain in the afternoon and patchy fog earlier in the day, but otherwise partly sunny skies with a high in the lower 50s, according the weather service. Monday night brings about a 50% chance of showers and a low near 40.

The rest of the week looks dry beginning with a mostly cloudy Tuesday when the high will be in the upper 40s.

Wednesday, the first day of April, the high is expected to be near 49 under mostly cloudy skies.

Thursday will be partly sunny with highs in the lower 50s and Friday will be mostly sunny again with highs in the lower 50s.

That trend is predicted to continue Saturday with partly sunny skies and a high near 52.

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.