Long Island forecast: Cold air returns after near-record high

Sunday’s unseasonably mild temperatures — more typical of late March on Long Island than mid-December — have been replaced by the return of cold air on Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Shortly before noon the temperature was 28 degrees under partly cloudy skies at Long Island MacArthur Airport, with a windchill of 17 degrees, the weather service said.

The high was 56 degrees Sunday at the airport — approaching the record of 59 degrees set in 1984.

But temperatures dropped into the 20s overnight.

“After quite the roller coaster ride this weekend, it is back to reality once again today with much colder weather,” said News 12 Long Island meteorologist Matt Hammer. “In fact, temperatures will stay well below average through this afternoon as we struggle to hit the freezing mark.”

The good news is that the return of freezing temperatures won’t bring brief whiteout conditions like those that hit Long Island Thursday and accumulating snow that fell Saturday morning.

“Precipitation is over,” said Brian Ciemnecki, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton. “It’s going to be dry” Monday and Tuesday.

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Monday will see a mix of clouds and sun, Hammer said.

Tuesday’s forecast is for plenty of sunshine but not as cold as Monday, with highs near 37, Hammer said.