Long Island weather: Chilly week ahead, but Hurricane Melissa expected to miss area

Fall foliage is nearing its peak on Long Island, and with cloudy and possibly rainy conditions arriving by Tuesday, locals may want to get outdoors Monday to enjoy the autumn colors, forecasters said.

Hurricane Melissa, which strengthened to a Category 4 with 140 mph winds Sunday, is expected to continue to bring heavy rain and life-threatening flooding to Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica on Monday. But the storm is expected to “pass well east” of Long Island and have little effect on the area, said James Tomasini, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton.

Monday on Long Island will be sunny with a high temperature around 55 degrees, according to the weather service. Winds of  7 to 10 mph are expected.

Forecast temperatures for Monday through Wednesday are for highs in the mid-50s, lows in the low to mid-40s, and a 30% chance of showers Tuesday, mainly after 2 p.m.

"We really have chances of rain right through the end of the week," Tomasini said.

Melissa was tracking west from Kingston, Jamaica, on Sunday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Hurricane Center. It was expected to impact Cuba by Tuesday, "maintaining major hurricane strength," the center said. Eastern Cuba will be hit with heavy rainfall, "possible life-threatening flash flooding and landslides."

Halloween trick-or-treaters on Long Island may face some weather tricks. The weather service said there is a 50% chance of rain Friday during the day, and a 30% chance of rain at night. The high temperature Friday is expected to be in the low 60s.

Newsday's Grant Parpan contributed to this article.