Sunny skies, cleaner air expected to replace downpours, smoke

Thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon and evening brought heavy rain and high gusts amid poor air quality, but Sunday is expected to be sunnier with cleaner air on Long Island.

Saturday's storms brought around two inches of rain to western Suffolk County and parts of Nassau County, and lesser amounts to the East End, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jay Engle. There were reports of 40- to 50-mph gusts, he added.

The government website AirNow.gov rated air quality "unhealthy for sensitive groups" across much of Long Island on Saturday.

Sunday, air quality is expected to be "moderate," with sunny conditions and highs in the low 80s. Skies will start partly to mostly cloudy but gradually become sunny due to northwest winds — all possibly in time for the 3 p.m. start of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

"It'll be a seasonably warm day. There'll still be some filtered out sunshine," Engle said.

Sunny weather with highs in the mid-80s should continue into Monday, with showers possible Tuesday, the forecast said.

A series of wildfires in Ontario, Quebec and Minnesota has blanketed regions throughout the Midwest and Northeast United States with smoke in recent days.

Although air quality condit ions are expected to ease Sunday for much of the state, western New York and central New York regions will probably experience unhealthy air quality.

“I encourage New Yorkers to stay informed by checking trusted sources for air quality and weather forecasts, and check in with friends and family members who might need help this weekend,” Gov. Hochul said in a statement Saturday night.

Nassau County closed all county-run beaches and outdoor swimming pools Saturday because of poor air quality, threatening storms and the risk of flash floods. The indoor pool at Eisenhower Park remained open, county officials said. The weather service warned of dangerous rip currents on the entire South Shore through Saturday.

Some outdoor concerts and other events scheduled for Saturday were canceled because of the storms.

The "Simply Stapleton" concert scheduled for Saturday night at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater in Eisenhower Park was postponed; the new date is Aug. 4 at 7 p.m.

An Independence Day celebration in Huntington, featuring a reenactment of the first time the Declaration of Independence was read on Long Island, was rescheduled for Sunday. 

When air quality is rated unhealthy for all groups, residents, particularly young children, seniors and those with health conditions, should limit time outside and report any serious irritation, shortness of breath or chest pain to a doctor, said Suffolk County Department of Health Services Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott.

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People with breathing problems need to be especially cautious, as well as people who work outdoors. But studies have found that wildfire smoke can also affect cognition. Here is what to know and how to stay safe.
Newsday's Tracy Tullis and John Asbury contributed to this story.