Long Island weather: Showers this evening should wash away scorching heat

Showers and thunderstorms Friday night should sweep away the intense heat from Long Island but also bring a flash flood watch to New York City until early Sunday, the National Weather Service said.

The flash flood watch lasts until 2 a.m. Sunday for the five boroughs of New York City, the weather service said.

"A moist environment could result in heavy rain producing thunderstorms this afternoon into Saturday night," the weather service said. "With recent heavy rainfall, it will not take much additional rain to result in flash flooding. The greatest risk looks to be [Friday] afternoon through Saturday afternoon."

In Nassau and Suffolk, Friday featured a heat advisory, now canceled, as heat indexes reached the upper 90s. An air quality alert also remained in effect until 11 p.m. Friday, the weather service said.

The weather service predicted showers and thunderstorms for Long Island Friday night, and then about a 30% chance of precipitation Saturday, especially before 2 p.m. Expect mostly cloudy skies and highs in the upper 70s, with still-high humidity, forecasters said.

Sunday looks to be partly sunny with highs around 80.

Looking out to the middle of next week, the remnants of Hurricane Ida might help bring heavy rainfall, the weather service said. Forecasters say it appears Ida will make landfall in Louisiana late Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane.

With Joan Gralla

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”