Long Island weather: Sunny start to April, below freezing overnight

Chilly and windy is how we can describe Monday's start to both April and the workweek, with below-normal temperatures continuing Tuesday and chances of showers Tuesday night, forecasters say.

As of just before 3 p.m. Monday, Long Island MacArthur Airport was reporting a temperature of 45 degrees, with winds from the north/northwest, gusting to 31 mph. Normals for the day at the Ronkonkoma airport are 52 for the high and 36 the low.

Those winds were  affecting flight arrivals at both Kennedy and LaGuardia airports averaging delays of around an hour and a half, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

As for Tuesday, below-freezing conditions – around 30 degrees or so and colder in the Pine Barrens - are forecast for early morning, the National Weather Service said.

Look for some morning “frost on the windshield” and a chilly start to the day – but then “the sun will go to work,” said Rich Von Ohlen, News 12 meteorologist.

The day goes on to bring sun and clouds, with temperature rising to around 50 degrees, he said.

“While the daylight hours are expected to remain dry, rain will overspread the region after sunset and continue through the night, before dry weather returns on Wednesday,” the weather service said.

That’s thanks to a coastal storm – not a direct hit, but coming close enough to bring some showers overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning, Von Ohlen said, with potential for a brief shot of moderate to heavy rain for the Twin Forks.  

After that, Wednesday is expected to deliver sunny skies and another day coming close to 60 degrees.