Long Island temperatures top 50

Did you feel that hint of spring?

Chalk it up to a welcome high-pressure system coming off the mid-Atlantic Coast that is pushing temperatures nearly 12 to 15 degrees higher than normal for February.

The National Weather Service said temperatures around Long Island are bumping into the 50s, with Islip at 52 degrees.

That's a mite shy of the record high for Feb. 17 - a springlike 66.5 degrees in 1976, as recorded by meteorologists at Brookhaven National Lab.

Temperatures Friday are expected to be in the 50s again.

But that warm front will last only until Friday night, when it starts passing to the north, the service said.

Cooler air will sweep in and bring a light shower and wind, with gusts of 25 mph to 35 mph likely Saturday and gale force winds between 39 mph and 54 mph possible.

Temperatures are then expected to be back to normal, with lows in the mid-30s and highs in the low 40s for the weekend. February's mean temperature is 30.6 degrees, according to Brookhaven's records.

Sunday night and Monday will see a chance of rain and snow.