NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A raw and nasty mix of heavy rain, whipping winds and chilly temps is moving through the New York City area Wednesday into Thursday, bringing the risk of flooding, power outages and hazardous travel conditions.
A High Wind Warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Thursday for much of the metro area, including all five boroughs, Long Island, the Jersey Shore and coastal Connecticut.
A Flood Watch has also been issued for New York City and a swath of North Jersey starting at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
A Coastal Flood Warning was also issued for Long Island until noon Thursday.
The National Weather Service warned of sustained winds of up to 40 mph and wind gusts up to 60 mph, as well as flooding in low-lying areas amid waves of rain.
In total, 2 to 3 inches of rain are expected in the city between Wednesday and Thursday, according to NYC Emergency Management, which issued a Travel Advisory for both days. The MTA also implemented a ban on empty tractor-trailers on its seven bridges until 10 p.m.
As of 7:30 p.m., all three major airports serving the city—LaGuardia, JFK and Newark—are ground stopped. More than 350 flights have been canceled and there have been nearly 1,300 delays across all three locations.
The Mets postponed their afternoon game against the Detroit Tigers. It will instead be played Thursday as part of a doubleheader.
The dayslong system is pummeling an already saturated New York area. Total precipitation this year in Central Park through Tuesday is 17.27 inches, which is 5.76 inches above the historical average.
If the rain and wind weren’t enough, it will also be chilly for April—highs will only be in the 40s on Wednesday and Thursday, with RealFeels in the 30s.
Wednesday night will be hit with period of rain, heavy at times, with a thunderstorm that will taper off late.
The worst of the rain and flooding is expected late Wednesday during high tide.
Thursday may start dry, but an eruption of showers is in the forecast for the afternoon. The storms could be gusty and even drop hail. The high will be 48, but it will be blustery and quite chilly.
Friday will be cloudy, brisk and chilly. A shower or two could impact the Yankees’ home opener in the Bronx at 1 p.m. The high will be 49, but RealFeels will again be in the 30s.
Conditions are looking up for the weekend. A shower can’t be ruled out Saturday, but it will otherwise be partly cloudy with a high of 52.
Sunday will be even milder—highs will be in the upper 50s under mostly sunny skies.
Monday should be very nice, with a high in the 60s and plenty of sunshine. That’s good news for eclipse watchers hoping to catch a glimpse of the rare celestial event starting at 2 p.m.
