Long Island weather forecast: More seasonable, cooler conditions arriving

More seasonable temperatures are due to return to Long Island, replacing the summerlike conditions that broke records earlier in the week.

Wednesday's high in the 70s followed two days of unseasonable heat that set new temperature records for those dates in October. But the winds are changing.

After overnight temperatures in the 50s, Thursday morning will see a northwest wind that will gust to about 26 mph and shuttle in mostly sunny skies with highs in the mid-60s, forecasters said.

"We have a cold frontal system coming into the overnight," said Matt Wunsch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton. "A northwest wind will bring in the cooler air that will gradually relax, and temperatures will gradually moderate into the weekend."

Daytime temperatures will stay in the mid-60s for the rest of the week with night lows falling to the 40s. Partly sunny skies are forecast into the weekend. Sunday may turn colder, with highs in the upper 50s, forecasters said, and a low just reaching 40.

No significant rain is predicted in the seven-day outlook.

Long Island set a new temperature record Tuesday for the date, topping off at 81 degrees at Islip. The previous record was 77, set in 1979.

Monday's high of 77 broke the mark of 76 degrees, recorded for that date in 2017.

The region's unusually dry conditions have prompted New York State to issue an alert for a high risk of wildfires starting and spreading rapidly.