Special Weather Statement Issued for Long Island

As Long Islanders and millions of Americans take to the roads this Christmas Eve weather is always a primary concern.

Obviously, with temps in the mid to upper 60s, snow and icy conditions will not be an issue but the National Weather Service has issued a “Special Weather Statement” for the area for Christmas Eve.

The weather service says we’ll be contending with fog that may linger around for most of Thursday and into the early morning hours of Christmas Day.

Here is what the National Weather Service writes, “AREAS OF FOG...LOCALLY DENSE...WILL CONTINUE TO VARY VISIBILITIES BETWEEN ONE QUARTER MILE AND ONE MILE ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING.

VISIBILITIES WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE THROUGH THE MORNING...BUT IMMEDIATE COASTAL COMMUNITIES MAY SEE FOG LINGER INTO THE AFTERNOON.

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY LOWERING VISIBILITIES...SLOW DOWN...AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.”

And while conditions will improve during the day, the weather service writes, showers are likely along with a possible thunderstorm before noon on Long Island. The forecast for the afternoon through Christmas Eve night calls for a chance of showers and patchy fog, which could make driving a challenge.

Temperature-wise, it will feel like spring on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the mercury should easily break record daily highs on both days.

The projected Christmas Eve high temperature in Central Park is a balmy 74 degrees. Things ”cool off” as you head east, with a high of 71 likely in Plainview, 66 at Long Island MacArthur Airport and 61 in East Hampton.

On Christmas Day, highs will reach around 65 degrees on Long Island. It will be a couple degrees cooler on the East End, the NWS says. Patchy fog will give way to partly sunny skies, but there is a chance of rain Friday night.