NYC air quality remains poor as Tri-State braces for stormy weather this weekend
While the air quality is improving, haze still lingers as New Yorkers brace for upcoming stormy weather Saturday.
An air quality alert is still in effect for New Jersey and parts of Connecticut through 12 a.m. Sunday.
Saturday is a First Alert Weather Day for poor air quality and potentially severe storms.
Check the latest severe weather warnings, watches and alerts
When will air quality improve?
Compared to Thursday, AQI levels improved Friday, and the haze retreated to the south. It was only temporary, however, as southerly winds funneled the smoke, haze and poor AQI levels back in for Friday night.
Later on Saturday night is when smoke, haze and poor air quality levels should finally improve drastically.
Tornado risk at 5% in NYC area for Saturday storms
As the smoke/haze levels rose again Friday night, so too did the humidity levels and cloud coverage. The high humidity levels will set us up for quite a stormy day on Saturday.
From 2 p.m. on, the potential is there for very strong to severe thunderstorms developing. These storms may contain damaging winds, large hail, torrential downpours and, yes, even tornadoes.
The tornado risk is at 5% for most of the area, which is pretty substantial for this part of the country.
How much rain will fall Saturday?
Aside from the tornado risk being elevated, the flood risk is also on the higher side. The saturated airmass that will be in place will allow for prolific rainfall rates at times, reaching 1-2 inches per hour, which would most definitely lead to flash flooding.
After 11 p.m., storm activity will start to settle down, with clearing skies by Sunday morning. Overall, this upcoming rainfall event will likely put down 2-3 inches of rain on average. Localized higher amounts are possible as well.
Highs on Saturday will be kept down by the rain, only reaching the upper 70s to around 80, but it will feel extremely muggy.
Sunshine Sunday
By Sunday, much improved conditions in terms of weather and air quality will make a comeback.
Lots of sunshine, lower humidity, and highs in the mid 80s will make for a perfect end to the weekend and the World Cup.
