NYC Weather Update: 'Severe Thunderstorm Watch' in Effect Wednesday Night

Image via the National Weather Service

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NEW YORK CITY, NY — A battering of rainfall that began Tuesday morning is expected to escalate Wednesday night into Thursday, according to government forecasters.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a “severe thunderstorm watch” for the greater NYC area at 7:40 p.m. Wednesday. It will remain in effect until 2 a.m. Thursday.

“The greatest threat is for damaging wind gusts, but a tornado or two is not out of the question,” the NWS wrote on Facebook. “Stay weather aware tonight!”

Mayor Bill De Blasio said much of the same in a travel advisory sent out Wednesday night.

“We’re expecting strong winds and some thunderstorms this evening,” the mayor said. “New Yorkers should be very careful driving and walking tonight.”

Earlier in the day, government forecasters warned of “the potential for isolated damaging wind gusts late this evening into the overnight with showers and thunderstorms... ahead of a cold front.”

“Localized flooding is also possible in areas of poor drainage and for those faster-responding streams and small rivers,” the outlook said.

Wednesday-night winds in NYC were expected to blow at 20 to 30 mph, with some gusts up to 50 mph.

This incoming storm “is likely to produce a squall line, which is a combination of brief torrential downpours and strong winds, along much of the I-95 corridor,” according to AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

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The squall will be potent enough to cause poor visibility and a risk of hydroplaning for motorists, as well as the potential for airline delays. Most gusts will range between 40 and 50 mph but can be locally higher.

In addition to the threat for urban flooding, downed tree limbs and sporadic power outages, there could also be a period of coastal flooding.

The rainy, windy, thundery craziness should die down by 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. Thursday morning, according to the NWS.

Below, the NWS forecast for Brooklyn through this week and weekend.

Wednesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then a chance of showers. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. Areas of fog before 2am. Low around 50. Windy, with a south wind 20 to 29 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 47 by 5pm. Breezy, with a southwest wind 17 to 25 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. Breezy, with a west wind 20 to 23 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. Breezy, with a northwest wind 18 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Northwest wind 8 to 16 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.