Long Island weather: Rainy but warm weekend with temps near 60 on Sunday

Winter weary Long Islanders can look forward to a warm but wet weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

High temperatures will reach just under 50 on Saturday before soaring 10 degrees to nearly 60 across Long Island on Sunday, the weather service forecast. Temperatures will drop to the low 40s on Saturday night and to just under 40 the following evening.

High temperatures are normally in the mid-40s this time of year, according to the weather service’s historical data recorded in Islip.

"As we get closer to spring, our temperatures can fluctuate," weather service meteorologist Jim Connolly told Newsday in a Friday telephone interview.

The weather service forecast a drizzle early Saturday morning, a chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday evening and a chance of showers through Sunday.

"It looks like the best chance [for rain] is after midnight, into Sunday, through about sunrise then tapering off through the day," Connolly said.

Winds will gust up to around 20 mph during this rainy period, according to the weather service.

"We do have some patchy, dense fog in the forecast," Connolly said of Saturday evening through Sunday. "We could have significant reductions in visibility in spots."

A sunny Monday and mostly sunny Tuesday will offer a reprieve from the rain. High temperatures will remain in the upper 50s.

Clouds and a 50% chance of rain return Islandwide on Wednesday. A chance of rain will linger on Thursday before letting up Friday, when high temperatures will drop to around 45.