Tropical Storm Nicole Bears Down On NYC With Heavy Rain, Gusty Winds

NEW YORK CITY — New York City is poised to be soaked and shaken by heavy rain and strong winds from Tropical Storm Nicole starting Friday afternoon, forecasters warn.

The massive storm — which struck Florida as a hurricane before weakening to a tropical depression — will reach the city about 2 p.m. with spotty patches of light rain and drizzle that will only grow heavier, according to an AccuWeather report.

By rush hour, New Yorkers will feel the full strength of the storm's remnants.

"The first torrential downpours and strong wind gusts with locally severe thunderstorms are likely to begin during the afternoon rush hour on Friday around New York City," AccuWeather meteorologist Dean DeVore said in the report.

"This threat is likely to continue after dark. Wind gusts strong enough to knock over trees and trigger sporadic power outages may continue through Friday night."

Meteorologists predict a 90 percent to 100 percent chance of rain from Friday to Saturday, with up to 1 inch of total rainfall, according to the National Weather Service's forecast.

Wind gusts could reach 38 mph as the storm brings breezy conditions, forecasters warn.

And temperatures overnight Friday will raise to 67 degrees, before dropping Saturday night to a low of 48 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

The anticipated heavy rain and strong winds prompted New York City officials to take precautions.

MTA officials scrambled crews to pump water out of subways.

“Even for a system that pumps out millions of gallons of water on a dry day, NYC Transit crews were at subway stations Thursday preparing for the heavy rain,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey in a statement. “We will have crews on standby during the storm to respond quickly to any weather-related issues to make traveling as easy as possible.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul directed state agencies to prepare for an emergency response, especially in Central and Western New York where more rain is expected.

"Starting Friday night, a late-season weather system has the potential to dump three inches or more of rain in some locations, and I urge all New Yorkers to prepare in the event of a flooding situation," she said in a statement. "If you are planning to travel Friday and Saturday, please use caution and check local weather conditions before heading out."

Here's the complete National Weather Service forecast.

Veterans Day
Showers, mainly after 2pm. High near 70. Southeast wind 5 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday Night
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Temperature rising to around 68 by 1am. Breezy, with a south wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 11am, then a slight chance of showers between 11am and 2pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Steady temperature around 67. Breezy, with a southwest wind 14 to 21 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Northwest wind 10 to 13 mph.

Sunday
A 20 percent chance of showers before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 48 by 10am. Northwest wind 11 to 15 mph.

Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 38.

Monday
Sunny, with a high near 46.

Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Tuesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 46.

Tuesday Night
A 50 percent chance of rain after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Wednesday
A 50 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 48.

Wednesday Night
A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.