Long Island weather: Below freezing temps for parts of the East End this weekend

Long Island will be unusually cold this weekend as temperatures could dip below freezing for parts of the East End, according to National Weather Service meteorologist James Tomasini.

Conditions are expected to be dry and sunny over the weekend. Daytime temperatures on Saturday and Sunday will be in the upper 50s, but nighttime temperatures could get "down in the 30s across much of Long Island," Tomasini told Newsday.

"It’s a relatively quiet weekend weather wise. We have highs both days that are going to be only in the mid-to-upper 50s. The skies will be mostly sunny both days. And then some cold nights tonight and Sunday night," he said.

The nighttime lows could reach freezing in Long Island’s "cold spots," which includes the pine barrens and areas further east, according to Tomasini and National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Pollina.

Pollina said areas as far west as Brookhaven had already experienced below-freezing nighttime temperatures this season, but this weekend’s forecast was roughly 5 degrees below what’s typical for Long Island at this point in the year.

The cold temperatures could create some frost on Monday, when the sunny and chilly conditions are expected to persist.

"We can expect in those colder areas maybe some patchy frost," Tomasini said. "But other than that, we’re expecting dry weather."

By Sam Kmack

sam.kmack@newsday.com

Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.