NYC Weather Forecast: Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued

NEW YORK, NY — The storms are brewing. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for New York City Thursday afternoon as heavy rain threatened to screw up the evening rush hour.

The watch will be in effect until 10 p.m. There's a chance of thunderstorms starting around 4 p.m., possibly bringing strong winds and even hail in addition to nearly half an inch of rain through early Saturday morning, according to the weather service.

New Yorkers should be careful while walking, biking or driving and be wary of possible power outages and flying debris caused by high winds, the city's Office of Emergency Management warned.

Severe weather is expected to strike across the eastern part of the state Friday evening, with the potential for quarter-sized hail and flash flooding in some areas, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office said.

"Severe weather continues to move across the state and I urge all affected New Yorkers to plan in advance, especially if you will be outside for any length of time," Cuomo said in a statement.

(Lead image: Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)