Long Island weather: Cool and clear Thursday with weekend rain

After a chilly night in the low 40s, Long Islanders will wake up Thursday morning to partly sunny skies and highs in the mid 60s but by the evening, clouds roll in, bringing heavy rain and winds by Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

Before the system passes the metropolitan area — remnants of Hurricane Nicole, as much as two inches of rain could fall from Friday’s Veterans Day through Saturday, with possibly more precipitation in spots.

Winds could gust up to 45 mph, the weather services said.

On Thursday, breezes coming from the south and southwest will sweep moisture and warmth into the New York region. 

“Highs will be about 8-10 degrees warmer than today, which is also about 8-10 degrees above normal for early November,” the weather service said.

And temperatures will remain mild Thursday night, slipping to the mid-40s and mid-50s.

On Friday and Saturday, another brief warm period will set in, with day and night temperatures rising into the mid- to upper 60s.

Friday’s chance of rain, as Nicole’s remnants merge with a frontal system, is 70%, mostly after 1 p.m. Showers will then last through the night.