Long Island forecast: Temperatures to plummet again

Long Island's brief respite from the frigid chill of earlier this week is just about over — with temperatures expected to fall into the single digits by the weekend.

Arctic air will sweep into the region Friday night into Saturday, followed by a strong storm system later in the weekend that could potentially bring heavy precipitation, strong winds and coastal flooding, the National Weather Service said in an advisory Thursday.

But first comes the extreme cold.

After a relatively mild day Thursday in the mid-40s, temperatures are expected to drop overnight into the 30s. Friday begins with clouds, with the temperature rising to the low 40s by the early afternoon, the weather service said.

Long Island — and much of the region — will then enter a deep freeze late Friday night, with temperatures in the single digits and low teens, the weather service said. A wind chill advisory is in effect from midnight Friday until 10 a.m. Saturday.

"This shot of cold will rival the round of cold that was experienced earlier in the week," the weather service said Thursday. "It may actually feel and get a few degrees colder this time around."

The wind chill could reach negative-10 in Westhampton and minus-6 in Farmingdale, the advisory said.

The high temperature Saturday is expected to top out in the low-20s before dropping into the teens and single digits Saturday night, meteorologists said.

The arctic air mass departs Sunday — with a predicted daytime high of 38 — giving way to a strong storm system that is expected to affect the region late Sunday into Monday with heavy precipitation, strong winds and coastal impacts, forecasters said.

But there is some good news.

While Orange and Putnam counties could see up to six inches of snowfall, Long Island and southeastern Connecticut have the lowest probability in the region for a snow/sleet mix, the weather service said.

But meteorologists said it's still is too early to predict the storm's precise path.

"There is still considerable model forecast spread with this system, but the potential is increasing for a period of accumulating snow across the interior (likely changing to rain for city and coastal areas), during the late Sunday into Monday period," the weather service said.

The entire tristate coastline faces the threat of minor to moderate coastal flood impacts for the Monday morning high tide cycle because of the combination of an approaching full moon and potential gale to storm force onshore winds, forecasters warned.

Monday probably starts with rain, mostly before 1 p.m. The odds are 60% — and a mild daytime high of 45 is expected. The night will be chilly, however, with a low of 26, and it will be breezy.

Tuesday brings the sunshine back and the daytime high should climb to 35. The nighttime low will be a chilly 24.

Wednesday should be at least partly sunny and milder, with a high of 40.

With Joan Gralla

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.