Long Island weather: Chilly start to a week that’ll end colder

Long Islanders will start the week with slightly higher-than-usual temperatures on Monday and Tuesday before a cold front brings the chance of freezing rain or light snow by Friday, meteorologists said.

The high temperature Islandwide on Monday is expected to hit 50 degrees, which is “a touch above average” from the normal high of 47 for this time of year, according to Faye Morrone, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in Upton.

Monday will see sunny skies but increasing clouds in the evening as a high pressure system that has been sitting over the eastern U.S. moves offshore, she said.

Tuesday is forecast to have high temperatures in the mid- to upper 50s, with rain showers hitting the area Tuesday afternoon into the evening.

“We’ll be above normal on Tuesday because we’re going to get a south wind ahead of a cold front that’s going to change the weather pattern,” said Jay Engle, also a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton. “It’s going to feel like winter as we get to later in the week and there’s a chance of rain or snow on Friday.”

Early rain followed by increasing sunshine is ahead for Wednesday when the high drops to 54. The overnight low is expected to be 31 degrees.

Temperatures cool off dramatically on a mostly sunny Thursday when the high will reach only 42 degrees with a low of 30.

Mostly cloudy skies will open the weekend on Friday. The high will be 44 and the low, 33.

Though Engle said there is chance of rain or snow on Friday, he said no significant snowfall is expected “since it could just be rain.”

With Stefanie Dazio