Long Island weather: Warmer weather coming after cold Wednesday

Don't worry, warmer weather for Long Island is right around the corner.

Spring apparently has not been watching the calendar, as Wednesday's temperatures will remain in the mid-40s, below the average of above 50 this time of year, forecasters say.

That's a far cry from the record high of 78 degrees in 1998, forecasters note.

At just around 11 a.m. Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma was reporting 40 degrees, feeling more like 34 with wind chill. The normals for the day are 51 for a high and 34, a low.

"We do start off with a chill," said News 12 Long Island meteorologist Rich Hoffman. "It's a little cold out there, but at least we have dry weather conditions."

And winterlike weather will make another appearance Thursday morning before sunrise, as temperatures dip below freezing.

But Thursday, with mostly sunny skies, will see the sun turn up the heat, with temperatures reaching into the low 50s during the day.

As for conditions at Yankee Stadium for the team’s home opener, look for sunny skies and a temperature around 50 degrees right around 1:05 p.m., when the first pitch is expected. Overall, “a good day for baseball,” said Melissa DiSpigna, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Upton. (Fans may recall last year’s home opener being postponed due to snow.)

Friday, then, is looking to bring mostly cloudy skies, with temperatures rising to the mid-50s.

As for the weekend, Saturday will be golden during the day, partly sunny with temperatures generally cresting right around 60 degrees. The temperature could reach into the mid-60s in western Nassau County and in areas away from the water. The South Shore and East End should see highs in the 50s, Hoffman said.

Sunday, the last day of March, will be mostly cloudy and cooler, with chances of showers. The highs will still be in the low to mid-50s, though, Hoffman said.

On Monday, however, the sun turns down the dimmer knob and temperatures return to the mid-40s to 50 degrees, said weather service meteorologist Jim Connolly.

"I think it's going to cool down again next week," Connolly said.