A white Christmas? Keep dreaming

American Airlines' planes are parked at a gate at LaGuardia... — American Airlines' planes are parked at a gate at LaGuardia Airport earlier this year. Credit: AP File

By PATRICIA KITCHEN AND JOIE TYRRELLpatricia.kitchen@newsday.com.,joie.tyrrell@newsday.comDecember 23, 2011

Long Islanders hitting the roads for grandmother's house or other holiday destinations are finding their way smoothed by partly sunny skies and warmer temperatures -- but don't expect those temps to last.

The National Weather Service is forecasting highs in the lower 50s on Friday, before dropping to the upper 20s tonight.

Saturday will be mostly sunny, but highs are only expected to be in the upper 30s.

As for the potential for a white Christmas? There's next to no chance of that, as of noon Friday, says Peter Wichrowski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, based at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Sunday is expected to be dry and partly sunny, with temperatures in the mid-40s, a few degrees above normal, he says.

Meteorologists are keeping an eye on a storm system that may develop Sunday night and Monday, but that's expected to move well to the east of Long Island, Wichrowski says.

More drivers are expected to hit the roads this holiday season, and the Long Island Rail Road will offer 14 extra trains during the upcoming weekend.

Area airports are not currently reporting any delays.

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