St. Patrick's Day on Long Island: a wintry mix early, then clouds

The weather Wednesday — mostly gray, cold and damp — could have Irish expats living on Long Island this St. Patrick's Day feeling homesick.

Sprinkles and some flurries are forecast before 10 a.m., then mostly clouds and a high of 47 degrees, the National Weather Service said.

The temperature dips to 39 Wednesday night under cloudy skies. Thursday afternoon should see more rain, as a storm system moves in from the Lower Ohio and Tennessee valleys.

The odds of precipitation are 60% though it will be a bit warmer, with thermometers hitting 51 degrees during the day, the weather service said.

Showers likely will stick around Friday morning and there is a chance of snow until mid-afternoon. The precipitation odds are 70% — and temperatures will only reach 42 degrees.

"Rainfall amounts should be on the order of a half inch or so," the weather service predicted.

It added, "Skies should begin to clear out completely late in the day on Friday and into Friday night as the upper level trough axis pivots through."

A trough is an elongated area of low pressure, the weather service says, or the opposite of a ridge.

And then, the weather service said: "Gusty northwest winds are expected and will usher in unseasonably cold air once again."

Lows Friday night will be below freezing, with temperatures mainly in the 20s and wind chills in the teens, the weather service said.

The Saturday to Monday period should offer sunny skies with daytime temperatures rising from 42 degrees on Saturday into the 50s on Sunday and Monday.

"Temperatures start off rather cold, but moderate into Sunday," the weather service said. "Later in the weekend daytime temperatures with sunshine should nudge back up above normal."