1st Look At LI's Memorial Day Weekend Forecast: What's Ahead

LONG ISLAND, NY — Mother Nature is set to send some soggy weather to Long Island this week — but skies could clear up in time for most of Memorial Day weekend, the National Weather Service said.

Although some surrounding areas are experiencing the effects of a nor'easter, John Murray, meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Upton, told Patch that in order for a nor'easter to be forecast, gale force winds must be expected. Currently, he said, there's a gale force wind watch out on local waters — but winds on land are "well below" what would rise to the level of a wind advisory being issued. "It's not a strong nor'easter," he said.

Long Islanders can expect rain Wednesday, moving in during the afternoon and into the evening hours and lasting through Thursday before tapering off Thursday night, he said. Winds are expected to pick up out of the east Wednesday night and out of the northwest Thursday morning, with wind gusts of 25 to 35 miles per hour expected on Long Island and higher in eastern Suffolk, where wind gusts of 30 to 35 miles per hour are forecast.

A gale watch will remain in effect through Thursday afternoon over the waters on eastern Long Island, including the Long Island Sound, Peconic Bay and Gardiners Bay, and over the eastern ocean waters from Fire Island to Montauk — those wind gusts are expected to reach 35 knots or 40 miles per hour, Murray said.

Heading into the weekend, there's a chance of showers on Friday, with a "slight chance of showers Saturday" and a dry forecast for Sunday. "The sunniest day appears to be Sunday," Murray said.

Temperatures are expected to remain in the 50s through Friday, when temps will rise into the lower 60s, he said. Saturday is expected to be warmer, with highs in the upper 60s possible – and then, Sunday's temps could spike to near 70, he said. Memorial Day's temperatures could hover in the lower 70s.

"The only caveat with Memorial Day is that the rain chances start to go up," Murray said. "There's a chance of showers in the morning on Memorial Day and again, after 2 p.m."

Winds are expected to subside in the coming days, with maximum gusts of about 20 miles per hour for the weekend, and a bit less, about 15 miles per hour, on land, he said.