Stories to follow: Balmy weather, solar flare in forecast

Last winter, more than 60 inches of snow. This afternoon, more than 60 degrees. What a difference a year makes for Long Island. Forecasters at the National Weather Service on Thursday are predicting temperatures soaring into the mid-to-upper 60s in Nassau and Suffolk, yet another balmy day in a mild winter, one that follows two of the snowiest winters recorded for Long Island. -- JOHN VALENTI