Long Island weather: Rain tonight, high rip current risk

Wednesday's sunny skies could give way to showers and perhaps thunderstorms at night and into Thursday morning, courtesy of an invading Great Lakes cold front, the National Weather Service said.

Long Island could see "scattered" showers and thunderstorms between 4 and 9 p.m., News 12 Long Island meteorologist Rich Hoffman said. Humidity is also expected Wednesday.

There is high risk of rip currents, the weather service warned, at least until Wednesday evening.

The high will be 81 degrees. Inland temperatures could be higher: "Hot weather away from the immediate coasts today, with highs approaching 90 west of the Hudson River," the weather service said. 

However, that summerish heat is fleeting. The weather service said: "Temperatures will cool by several degrees on Thursday with increasing winds from the east."

The chance of rain and thunderstorms before noon Thursday is 50 percent, the service said. Cloudy skies are predicted with a high of 77 degrees.

Friday should be mostly sunny, with the thermometer hitting 70 degrees.

While clouds should return Saturday, it should be warmer — about 77 degrees, according to the weather service.

The sun returns on Sunday, when the temperature could hit 78 degrees.

Forecasts for Monday and Tuesday call for sunny skies with temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s, the weather service said.