Long Island weather: Winds ease slightly and cold air arrives

The gusty winds blowing through Long Island from the west should ease a bit as the night goes on but Friday will still be breezy, the National Weather Service said.

The sustained winds of between 20 and 30 mph were marked by much higher gusts earlier Thursday, with easterly Long Island seeing the more powerful winds. Just after noon Thursday, a 66 mph gust hit Stony Brook, the weather service said.

"These gusty winds will persist through much of the day Thursday and into Friday morning," the weather service said in its regional summary, which also predicted the arrival of colder air. "Low temperatures tonight drop into the 20s. ... Gusty winds will allow for wind chills to drop into the low teens and single digits.

Friday is forecast to be mostly sunny and dry with high temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s.

"Temperatures remain just below average through the first half of the weekend," the weather service said. Sunday will warm up slightly and remain clear and sunny, forecasters said.