Temperatures to fall near freezing overnight

An unseasonable drop to near freezing Sunday night across eastern Long Island will be followed by increasingly balmy weather later in the week, according to the National Weather Service.

Sunday afternoon is slated to be clear and sunny, with temperatures in the lower 60s. But overnight into Monday, expect temperatures to plunge close to freezing in the east, and lower 40s closer to the city, said meteorologist David Stark.

The drop, which is brought on by a slow-moving storm system last week that pulled colder air down from Canada, can cause damage to sensitive vegetation, and the area could even see some patches of frost, Stark said.

The unseasonably cold night, from about 1 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday, will approach the record low temperature of 34 degrees set at MacArthur Airport in Islip in 1992, Stark said. Saturday's low temperature of 33 degrees broke the record of 35 degrees at MacArthur, set in 1996.

Monday's temperatures will warm up to close to 60 degrees, but skies will be cloudy. Overnight temperatures into Tuesday will settle into the upper 40s, with a chance of rain setting in through Tuesday, Stark said.

Tuesday will be in the 60s.

But starting Wednesday, temperatures are slated to be in the lower 70s, starting a trend of slightly above normal temperatures that should last through Friday at least, Stark said.