Long Island weather: Milder Wednesday, strong winds and warmer Thursday

A cold Tuesday night in the teens should be the last frigid evening for at least a few days on Long Island, forecasters said, as a dramatic weather change approaches.

Wednesday should bring more sunshine, the National Weather Service said, but a south wind will still be kicking up to about 15 mph so it will feel like between 15 and 25 degrees. Then Wednesday's nighttime low will be a relatively mild 39 as conditions take a drastic turn.

Thursday's daytime temperatures will soar to the mid 50s, the weather service predicts, but heavy rain is also in the offing along with strong and possibly "damaging" winds arriving Thursday night.

"Confidence is increasing in potential of wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph Thursday night into early Friday morning as a strong frontal system tracks through the area," the weather service said. "Damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 mph are possible, mainly for Long Island and southeastern CT."

The peak winds should be coming through from about midnight until 7 a.m. Friday. A weather service forecast map shows most of the Island getting between 50 mph and 60 mph maximum wind gusts.

Some leftover rain may also stick around Friday morning, the weather service said, and so should the mild temperatures — the mid 50s for a high, before dropping to the 20s at night.

The weekend looks clear and sunny with daytime temperatures in the 40s, extending to a high of 48 degrees for Monday, Washington's birthday, forecasters said. It will be in the mid 20s to low 30s at night.