Long Island weather: Dry, sunny days over weekend and next week

Beachgoers can look forward to a string of sunny, warm days through the weekend and next week, the National Weather Service said, likely without the storms or extreme heat that marked Long Island's earlier summer weather.

Before the sunshine, however, the weather service said that after 2 p.m. Thursday, there is a chance of thunderstorms or scattered showers in some parts of Long Island. 

Dry and seasonable temperatures are expected through Monday, weather service meteorologist Dave Radell said.

"We're looking at really a nice upcoming three to four days of pretty much sunshine, low to mid-80s and dry conditions," he said.

Similar conditions are forecast to last through Thursday, with sunshine, slightly cooler temperatures in the high 70s to 80, and no rain, continuing Long Island's status of being "abnormally dry" on the U.S. Drought Monitor's scale.

Meanwhile, forecasters continue to monitor Tropical Storm Erin in the Atlantic Ocean, which threatens to become the first hurricane of the season by Friday, experts said.

Erin has been intensifying and is forecast to pass north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend, possibly reaching Category 3.

Long Island could see increased ocean waves and dangerous surf conditions by the middle of next week as a result. It is too early to say whether the storm will strike the East Coast, if or where it will make landfall. 

"We’re still a week out," Radell said. "A lot can change between now and then."