NYC Nor'easter: What To Expect From The Storm

NEW YORK, NY — A strong nor'easter is battering New York City and will linger until Saturday, bringing snow, rain and heavy winds, the latest forecast shows.

The storm is expected to bring up to three inches of rain by Saturday, creating a risk of flooding, the National Weather Service predicts.. The region will be under a flood watch from 6 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday, though the weather service says rain could continue into Saturday afternoon.

Friday will see some heavy, wet snow in addition to rain, the National Weather Service says. Less than an inch is expected to accumulate in Central Park, but it could still make travel difficult for some vehicles.

Potentially dangerous high winds will accompany the precipitation, with the strongest gales expected from Friday afternoon through Friday night. Gusts as strong as 55 MPH may knock out power lines and down trees, the National Weather Service says. The city will be under a high wind watch from 7 a.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday.

Parts of southern Queens will likely see coastal flooding from the Jamaica Bay that could see water rise two to three feet above ground at times of high tide from Friday night through Saturday night, the weather service says. A coastal flood warning will be in effect along the bay and Atlantic Ocean beachfronts from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday.

Other vulnerable areas include Battery Park in Manhattan, the FDR Drive and the south shore of Staten Island. They'll be under a coastal flood advisory from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday.

Here's a detailed look at what to expect from the storm over the next few days, courtesy of the National Weather Service.

Friday
Rain and snow. Temperature falling to around 35 by 3pm. Wind chill values between 20 and 30. Windy, with a northwest wind 14 to 19 mph increasing to 25 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday Night
Periods of rain and snow, mainly before midnight. Low around 35. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. Windy, with a north wind 28 to 32 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Saturday
A chance of rain and snow before 10am, then a chance of rain between 10am and 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 46. Breezy, with a north wind 21 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

(Lead image: The Manhattan skyline is seen from choppy waters in January 2017. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)