Heat, Bad Air Continue, Tornado Possible Saturday In The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Air pollution due to ozone remains a factor in the region's sticky weather Friday. The heat will break Saturday after a storm front comes through with high winds, scattered strong thunderstorms, and a low risk of a brief tornado, the National Weather Service said.

It could be similar to the damaging storms that whipped through the region Thursday, resulting in trees, poles and wires down and a few road closures.

Friday morning there were still 276 Central Hudson customers out of power between Peekskill and Saugerties and 234 NYSEG customers out in Dutchess.

"Points just north of Orange County measured as much as 1" to 3" of rainfall," said Bruce Furbeck of First Due Weather.

Advisories remain in effect as a heat index value of 99 is expected Friday afternoon in Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties, and heat index values of 95-100 are expected in Dutchess and Ulster counties.

Low temperatures overnight will range mostly from 75 to 80, with lower 70s in the far outlying suburbs. Coupled with elevated humidity, this will make for uncomfortable conditions at night, NWS forecasters said.

Saturday will start out hot as well.

Then scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are possible Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening.

On Saturday, wind gusts of 58 to 70 mph could damage trees and power lines and result in scattered power outages, and there's a low risk for a brief tornado mainly across the Lower Hudson Valley and Connecticut. Localized large hail to 1 inch in diameter could result in minor damage to motor vehicles.

And once again, there's a localized flash flood threat, specially if multiple storms move over the same area, with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches/hr.

Here's the next 48 hours at a glance, based on Kingston:

Here's the forecast through the weekend based on Nyack:

• Friday - Sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 98. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.
• Tonight - Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Southwest wind 3 to 6 mph.
• Saturday - Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 97. Light southwest wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Saturday Night - A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. North wind around 9 mph.
• Sunday - A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. North wind around 9 mph.
• Sunday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 61.
• Monday - Sunny, with a high near 81.
• Monday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 61.
• Tuesday - Sunny, with a high near 79.
• Tuesday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 58.