Long-Term Forecast For Rest Of Long Island Winter Released

Brutal cold welcomed the year but, in recent days, milder temperatures have brought about a January thaw. So what does the rest of the winter on Long Island have in store? Will the bitter Arctic air return? Or will we enjoy milder weather for the duration of the season?

The Weather Channel has some new insight.

In a recent long-term forecast update, meteorologists put their heads together to come up with a prediction for the rest of winter. The news isn't great – unless you love chilly weather.

Much of the northern tier of the United States should expect colder-than-average temperatures to end winter and begin spring, the Weather Channel says.

"We expect a significant pattern shift toward colder temperatures in the eastern U.S. by mid-February," Chief Meteorologist Todd Crawford said in a news release. This is due to changes in the upper levels of the atmosphere, Crawford said.

Temperatures on Long Island will be at or slightly below average, the Weather Channel predicts.

You can read the full long-term winter forecast here.

In the meantime, here's the forecast for the week ahead, courtesy of the National Weather Service:

• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 44. Northwest wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Wednesday night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 24. North wind around 9 mph.
• Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 32. Northwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 18. Northwest wind 3 to 7 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 36. Light and variable wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Friday night: Mostly clear, with a steady temperature around 33.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 47.
• Saturday night: A 40 percent chance of rain after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.
• Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 50. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Sunday night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.
• Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 42.
• Monday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34.

Story by Adam Nichols

PHOTO: Pixabay