Long Island weather: Sunny, dry and warm

Thursday and Friday should offer ideal late-spring weather, with lots of sunshine, comfortably low humidity and daytime temperatures rising into the upper 70s on Long Island, the forecasters said.

"The atmosphere is quite dry today with just a few fair weather clouds possible in the afternoon," the National Weather Service said. "High temperatures will be close to seasonal normals in the upper 70s and lower 80s."

While Long Island enjoys the last days of a stretch of temperate spring weather, much of the West to Midwest is experiencing extraordinary heat, which the weather service’s Weather Prediction Center said already has set monthly and even all-time records.

Long Island’s fine weather, the result of a cloud-clearing high pressure system, will be giving way to a warm front.

So anyone out and about early Saturday morning, especially after 2 a.m., may need an umbrella: the odds of showers then are 30%, the weather service said.

Storms might even arrive a little earlier: "A few rumbles of thunder cannot be ruled out, especially after midnight," the weather service said.

Showers and possible thunderstorms could then appear after 2 p.m. Saturday, the weather service advised, assessing the chances at 40%.

The daytime high will be 83 degrees.

"Saturday should end up being a warm and more humid day with temperatures reaching the middle and upper 80s for most," the weather service said. It added that eastern Long Island and southeast Connecticut may be cooler, thanks to a sea breeze.

While there is a 30% chance of showers before 2 a.m., Sunday should otherwise be sunny with the daytime high again topping out at 83 degrees, the weather service said.

Monday may see showers return by the early afternoon, when the odds of rain are 30%. The high for the day should be 80 degrees.

On Monday night, the odds of rain are 50% and downpours may continue into Tuesday, when the chances of storms and thunderstorms are a slightly higher 60%, according to the weather service.

Tuesday’s daytime high could reach 82 degrees.

"Some heavier downpours are possible in the Monday-Tuesday time period as precipitable waters increase to around 2 inches," the weather service said.

Wednesday, however, should be sunny, with a daytime high of 76 degrees.