Western Nassau goes to 'severe drought' status, NWS forecast for next week stays dry

Western Nassau was deemed to be in severe drought status Thursday, and the National Weather Service forecast for the next week shows no chance of rain.

While a Red Flag warning was lifted Thursday, Long Island was still at risk of wildfires starting and spreading, officials said.

Clear, sunny conditions were expected through Wednesday, when there is 30% chance of rain, with highs in the mid-50s Friday and then the low 60s through the weekend. Winds up to 14 mph are predicted Friday and 17 mph Saturday.

Thursday afternoon, Suffolk firefighters were battling a brush fire in a wooded area along the eastern edge of Route 112, north of Granny Road, in Coram, authorities said. Firefighters from Coram and seven other area departments were fighting the blaze, which was reported at 10:36 a.m.

Overnight, the FDNY had been forced to draw water from the Harlem River while battling a brush fire in the Inwood Section of upper Manhattan. That fire has been contained, authorities said. Also this week, a Bronx wildfire disrupted Amtrak service out of Penn Station.

Much of downstate New York, including much of Long Island, is still at the D1 — or, moderate drought — level, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor website, which raised the level to "severe drought" for western Nassau.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has banned outdoor burning until Nov. 30 and Long Island firefighters have battled about two dozen brush fires, mostly in Suffolk County, in the past week. A Medford volunteer firefighter was charged with arson after he allegedly sparked both a brush and vehicle fire in the community Tuesday.

The weather service also issued a coastal flood warning for the North Shore from Nassau to western Suffolk, in effect from 7 a.m. Thursday to 1 p.m. Friday. The service warned that coastal flooding also is possible along the South Shore through Friday morning.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”