Long Island temp falls short of record

The thermometer hit a high of 83 degrees Monday at Long Island MacArthur Airport in a second consecutive flirtation with summer, but fell shy of another record-breaker.

The temperature at the Islip airport was one degree off the record high -- 84 degrees -- for Oct. 10, recorded in 1997, according to John Murray, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Upton.

Monday's mostly sunny, warm weather followed a record high of 85 degrees on Sunday, according to the service. The previous high for Oct. 9 had been 79 degrees in 1990.

The reason for the unseasonably warm weather -- about 20 degrees warmer than normal -- is a large high-pressure system that is resting over a large portion of the Northeast. That system is responsible for temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s across upper New York State and most of New England, including New Hampshire and Maine.

The system will keep temperatures warm through Tuesday, although the high is expected to be cooler, about 72 degrees, Murray said.

By Tuesday night, a low-pressure system from the south will be moving in, bringing cooler temperatures and some rain, Murray said.

Temperatures Tuesday night are expected to be in the mid-50s, with a 10-percent chance of rain.

Wednesday, the outlook is for a high of 66, with a 40-percent chance of rain.