Long Island weather: Sunny and mild, highs around 70 degrees

Wednesday's expected fair weather — sunny with thermometers rising to 69 degrees, strikingly mild for early autumn — offers rather a contrast with the recent rain, which brought one to just over two inches of rain to Long Island.

Thursday should be similarly delightful, meteorologists said, especially for anyone who favors the warm temperatures.

So should the weekend, after a rainy Friday afternoon and perhaps a damp Saturday morning, the National Weather Service said.

Until then, jackets may not be required.

Wednesday night will be warm in some parts of the region.

"With light winds and clear skies, temperatures will dip well into the 40s across the interior as well as the typically cooler Long Island pine barrens region. Elsewhere, lows will remain in the 50s, about five to 10 degrees above normal," the weather service's Islip office said.

A "southerly flow" or breeze on Thursday will help boost daytime highs to the low to mid-70s, 10 degrees above normal, the weather service said.

Friday will see the rain return, but the weekend still holds promise for anyone venturing out before 3 p.m., when the rain mainly should sweep in. The odds of downpours are 90%, though once again that surprising warmth will be felt, with a daytime high of 69 degrees expected.

Temperatures will then slide to 48 degrees on Friday night, which also should be soggy.

Saturday to Monday should be mostly bright and clear, with daytime highs in the 60s. Clouds are expected to arrive Monday night and stick around Tuesday, though they should not deliver rain, according to the weather service.