NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Days of stormy weather is bringing waves of heavy rain to an already soaked New York City area this week, raising concerns of major flooding.
Downpours, 40 mph wind gusts and chilly temps are all in the forecast for New York City from Tuesday to early Friday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul warned Tuesday that the lengthy storm may disrupt travel and spark power outages. While downstate will be inundated with rain, higher elevations like the Catskills and Adirondacks may see up to 2 feet of snow.
"Despite early signs of spring, we are closely monitoring a storm system that is expected to bring heavy snow, rain and gale force winds to parts of our state," the governor said in a statement.
NYC Emergency Management activated the city's Flash Flood Emergency Plan and said it's working closely with the National Weather Service as the city faces the potential for significant flooding.
In total, a general 2 to 3 inches of rain or more will fall on the Tri-State by week's end. Gusts of up to 50 mph and RealFeel temps in the 20s and 30s will make conditions all the more nasty.
The wet weather comes as the New York area is already heavily saturated—March saw twice the amount of average rainfall expected for the city.
The rain event starts Tuesday and could be heavy at times, especially in the afternoon and evening. Tuesday morning's mild temps will drop to 40 degrees by the end of the day, while RealFeels will plunge to the 20s overnight.
The heaviest rain is expected Wednesday, when wet, windy, raw conditions are in the forecast as a nor'easter moves up the Northeast.
According to AccuWeather, it will be too warm in New York City and along the coasts of New England for snow, but snowfall is expected further inland from Upstate New York to Maine.
Meanwhile, there's a risk for serious flooding late Wednesday, especially on the North Shore of Long Island and along coastal Connecticut, as heavy rain combines with coastal flooding at high tide.
Wednesday's high will be 46 degrees in Manhattan, but winds will make it feel much colder—RealFeels will be in the 20s and 30s most of the day.
Conditions will remain windy and chilly Thursday, with more showers in the forecast. Some snowflakes may mix with rain in the northern suburbs. Highs will be in the upper 40s, while RealFeels will stick to the 30s.
Friday will be similar to Thursday—windy and chilly with of a high of around 48. Rain may linger in the morning, but the Yankees' afternoon home opener in the Bronx is still on.
The weather will improve this weekend—the forecast looks brighter and much milder, with highs in the low 50s Saturday and upper 50s Sunday.
And there's good news for solar eclipse fans—conditions are currently expected to be clear in the city Monday.
