Long Island weather: High winds, heavy rain to slam region early Friday morning as temps go up, then down

A fast-moving, powerful rain and wind storm will take aim at Long Island in the pre-dawn hours of Friday, the National Weather Service said, as the mercury goes up to the 50s Friday and then back to below-freezing in just hours.

The strong frontal system brought much warmer daytime temperatures Thursday, with even warmer temperatures expected Friday. But rain, high winds and a possible thunderstorm will arrive about 4 a.m. Friday and last through the afternoon, the weather service said.

High temperatures topped at close to 50 degrees in some places Thursday afternoon and will rise overnight, peaking at close to the mid 50s Friday, forecasters said, before they fall back sharply to the 40s Friday afternoon and evening. Wind gusts, which will initially come from the south, then switch to a westerly direction, and could reach 60 to 65 mph, the weather service said.

The highest gusts are expected across the southern and eastern shorelines. 

Friday night will see a low in the 20s and wind-chill temperatures feeling between 15 and 20 degrees, with 48 mph wind gusts. The weekend will be sunny with highs in the 40s before another cold front comes through Monday.

The NWS wind advisory was issued from midnight Friday until midnight Saturday for the entire tristate region.

Rainfall of about an inch is likely regionwide, with 2 inches possible in some areas.

Minor to moderate coastal flooding is also expected, especially around Friday morning's high tide for vulnerable locations on the shorelines of southern Long Island and the western Long Island Sound. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement that New Yorkers should "exercise caution" with the dramatic changes in the weather.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels announced that due to the high winds there will be ban on empty tractor-trailers and tandem trucks at all MTA bridges from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday, subject to change based on conditions. 

The seven bridges include; Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, Cross Bay Bridge, Henry Hudson Bridge, Marine Parkway Bridge, Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.