Long Island weather: Rainy and warm

Umbrellas will help encourage social distancing on the first day of spring Thursday, as the National Weather Service in Islip says it will rain through the morning, mostly before 11 a.m.

The predicted daytime high of 51 degrees shows how far winter has receded.

Downpours also are likely into the early hours of Friday morning and possibly stretching into the day. The weather service puts the odds of precipitation at 40%.

And Friday will be unusually warm.

“Temperatures should get into the 70s across western sections, with the 50s and 60s across eastern sections,” the weather service said in a forecast for the tristate region Thursday. “Areas of fog may also linger through the day across eastern Long Island and southeast Connecticut."

The weekend should be sunny, with Saturday’s high reaching 49 degrees and Sunday’s a cooler 41 degrees. 

Monday’s weather is unsettled. There is a chance of rain and even snow before noon, the weather service said, and then rain may take over. A high near 43 degrees is expected.

The sun returns on Tuesday and the daytime high should be a mild 51 degrees.