Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes possible as Tri-State Area braces for heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding
Storms and flood threats are headed for the New York City area, prompting a string of First Alert Weather Days through the end of the work week.
Heavy rain that may cause flooding is expected both Thursday and Friday.
The potential for the severe storms has prompted state of emergency declarations in parts of New York and New Jersey, effective early Thursday afternoon.
Alerts/Advisories
A flood watch has been issued for most of the region from 2 p.m. Thursday through 8 a.m. Friday.
Threat of severe flash flooding Thursday
Relief from the heat and humidity will come with a price on Thursday, though. As the front that will eventually deliver relief from the sweltering temperatures and high humidity levels stalls over the Tri-State Area, rounds of very heavy rain and thunderstorms will develop throughout the day.
A few isolated heavy downpours are possible through the morning hours, however the main event doesn't arrive until the late afternoon and evening hours. During this timeframe, rainfall rates may be as high as 2-3 inches per hour.
With rainfall rates that prolific, the threat of flash flooding is highly imminent. The flooding may prove to be locally severe, causing travel disruptions, property damage and the need for water rescues.
How much rain will NYC get this week?
After relentlessly pounding the metropolitan region of New York City for roughly four to seven hours, the rain will gradually come down in intensity later on Thursday night. Some lingering showers and effects of the flooding will likely carry into at least the early portions of Friday.
By the time all is said and done, rainfall totals should average between 2-3 inches, with some pockets of 3-5-plus inch totals.
The payoff for enduring a full week of extreme weather shows up by the weekend, which is set to feature lots of sunshine, low humidity and high temps in the low 80s.
Stick with our First Alert Weather team for the latest forecast, live radar and weather alerts.