Blast of early fall heat smashes records

Saturday's heat broke a 26-year-old record, forecasters said.

At Brookhaven National Laboratory, the high was 86.4 degrees. The previous record was 84 degrees, set in 1984. Records have been kept there since 1947.

In Islip, the 87-degree high broke the previous record of 80 degrees set in 1984; records at Islip have been kept since 1984, said National Weather Service meteorologist Lauren Nash.

Nash said that at Kennedy Airport, the high of 87 broke the previous record of 82 degrees set in 1970. Records at Kennedy have been kept since 1964, she said.

Sunday's weather will be clear and much cooler, with a high of about 72 degrees, she said. Sunday night will see lows in the upper 50s.