Long Island weather: Sunny, breezy Saturday with cooler temps
Lots of sunshine, much cooler temperatures and strong breezes — though only about half as fast as the gusts clocked on Friday, are predicted for Saturday, experts said.
The daytime high should hit 47 degrees, with the wind chill lowering that to 20 to 30, the National Weather Service said.
The wind, combined with dry air and grasses and plants, create an "enhanced" risk of brush fires on Saturday, the NWS said, prompting it to issue a special weather statement.
Sunday also should be bright and clear — and the daytime high could hit 50 — though those wind gusts will return, nearly reaching 40 mph.
"Towards sunrise Sunday a weak trough enters New England and the trailing surface boundary may bring scattered clouds and windy conditions for the day," the service said.
The weekend’s chillier temperatures are a remarkable swing from Friday, when four records were tied or broken in the metropolitan area, the NWS said.
LaGuardia Airport matched the 2012 high of 69. The three other sites surpassed their records by two degrees: Kennedy hit 70, topping the 1973 high; Islip and Bridgeport both reached 67, so both broke their 2012 records, the service said.
At 68, Central Park missed the 2012 record by 3 degrees.
Suffolk’s Eatons Neck registered the swiftest wind gusts on Friday, hitting 61 mph, Nassau’s Bayville reached 52 mph and Central Park recorded gusts of 50 mph.
Looking ahead to the workweek, Monday should be delightfully sunny — but it will be cold. The daytime high will just reach 35.
Tuesday could see some rain — the odds are 30%, the NWS said, though it no longer is forecasting the possibility of light snow.
"Any wintry weather would be brief and at the start Tuesday morning, and possibly again when ending overnight Tuesday. What does fall should be mainly rain," the service said.
And then more springlike warmth should return.
"After below normal temperatures Sunday night into Tuesday, temperatures should gradually warm through the end of the week to just above seasonable levels," the NWS said.
After a sunny Wednesday, with a high around 48, Thursday and Friday should hit similar daytime highs though both days could also see showers.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.