Long Island's summer extends into fall as businesses keep bustling beyond Labor Day

The beach chairs are packed, the coolers are filled and thousands of Long Islanders are ready to head to the beach for Labor Day weekend — long considered the unofficial end of summer.

But with warm temperatures persisting through September, Long Island’s waters, restaurants and beaches remain hot spots well into summer's last few weeks. Officials, restaurateurs and business owners say the trend of summerlike weather stretching into the fall means both locals and tourists are eager to make the most of a few extra weekends of ideal conditions.

The longstanding notion that Labor Day marks the close of summer, they say, isn't the case on Long Island anymore.

"That was traditional. Everybody knew the beaches were closed, everything was packed in after Labor Day," said Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand. "We’re trying not to do this — we’re trying to have people come to the downtown."

NewsdayTV's meteorologist Addison Green said Long Island has experienced "a trend of warming temperatures continuing to go on past the summer months." On average, it's been about 2 degrees warmer in September and October compared to the historical average, he said. 

Green said autumn over the past few years has felt different from the fall seasons he grew up with on Long Island. 

"It felt like over the past five, 10, 15 years going back, that we've seen an abridged fall season where we're seeing warm temperatures linger into September."

Sweet spot for enjoying LI 

While the long lines at bars and restaurants may thin out after Labor Day, business owners and locals find the later weeks of September to be a sweet spot for enjoying the weather on Long Island.

In Fire Island’s Ocean Beach, Village Administrator Joseph DiFrancisco said Labor Day marks just the beginning of the best times of the year for locals.

"It’s actually a very good time for them because right after Labor Day you don’t have the crowds. Restaurants are still open. It’s not as crowded. So, it’s a good time of the year," DiFrancisco said. "You still have the weather."

Suzy Goldhirsch, who heads the Fire Island Association civic group, called it a "well-kept secret" among locals that September can be a prime season for being on Fire Island.

"People who have lived on Fire Island for a long time will say it’s the best time of year," she said. "It is quite amazing that a glorious place just kind of drops off the map for people."

Boaters say the extended warmer weather makes for perfect conditions to be out on the water. 

Jeff Strong, president of Strong's Marine, which runs marinas throughout Suffolk County, said conditions in September and October in recent years extend the window for boating and the traffic to restaurants on the water. 

"Over the last 10 years, as most people realize, the weather’s changed," Strong said. "Springs are much later, and as a result of that, September and certainly halfway into October have typically been some of the nicest boating months."

While many still pack up their boats in early September, locals are more likely to stick around, resulting in a spike in boat traffic and boat sales.

"We see some of our summer people that do go back west," Strong said. "But then we see kind of a large uptick of more local people that have a little more time to enjoy themselves."

'Second hit of summer' 

After a winter that brought heavy snow and extreme cold, and a summer that had some weekend washouts, Russ Lundstrum, owner of Cooper Bluff and Coach Meeting House in Oyster Bay and the Sunset Club at Tappen Beach in Sea Cliff, said he expects Long Islanders "are going to want to savor every bit of September."

Lundstrum said the nasty weather earlier in the year led to a 15% hit to his businesses. He's banking on Long Island's extended summer to help fill the gap. 

"To have this second hit of summer, it’s a huge revenue driver for us," he said.

Swimming is still allowed at many beaches across Nassau and Suffolk counties after Labor Day weekend, including at town beaches in Oyster Bay and Hempstead, which will have lifeguards on duty on weekends into the end of September.

Out on the East End, "Tumbleweed Tuesday," which used to mark the end of the busiest season of the year for out-of-towners, is no more. Wineries, farm stands and restaurants encourage tourism in the fall months. 

Events continue throughout autumn in other parts of Long Island, as well. Outdoor concerts continue at Jones Beach, towns extend beach weekends throughout September and gatherings like Farmingdale's "Oktoberfest" on Sept. 19 take over the streets. 

Newsday's Sam Kmack contributed to this story. 

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ