Hot, Humid, Stormy: Hazardous Outlooks Issued For The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Thunderstorms, some of them with excessive rainfall, are possible Tuesday and Thursday as temperatures climb. The National Weather Service has issued hazardous outlooks across the region.

"Showers and thunderstorms are quickly developing, with an area of thunderstorms approaching from the southwest. Expect more development as we move into the afternoon. Heavy rains and gusty winds are possible!" NWS Albany tweeted Tuesday morning.

Next, temperatures will climb. High temps will reach into the 90s on Thursday, and may approach 100 on Friday. The heat index may reach into the low 100s Thursday and Friday afternoon.

A "Bermuda High" pressure system is moving in, according to the National Weather Service.

"Bermuda High Pressure will establish itself mid to late this week, setting up a significant warming trend," the NWS New York office tweeted.

Because of the rising temps, the NY Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection sent out a reminder of the danger children and pets face when left in hot cars. As high temperatures are reaching record levels this summer, there is a real and severe danger when leaving children or pets unsupervised in a car even when temperatures don’t "feel" hot. At 60 degrees outside, after just one hour a closed car can get as hot as 105 degrees. Recognize the symptoms of heatstroke in children. Symptoms include absence of sweat, confusion, disorientation, flushed skin, loss of alertness, unconsciousness or rapid/shallow breathing.

Before that, there is a chance for thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon and evening across the region.

In Dutchess and Ulster counties there is a marginal risk for both severe thunderstorms and excessive rainfall, where a few storms may be capable of producing damaging wind gusts or flooding of urban or poor drainage areas.

"Thunderstorms may produce gusty winds, hail, and very slight potential exists for an isolated tornado, today. The upper atmosphere is saturated this afternoon and has potential to produce rainfall rates of 1" to 2" per hour," said Bruce Furbeck of First Due Weather in Orange County.

Thunderstorms are expected again on Thursday, mainly for the mid morning through mid afternoon hours. There is a marginal to slight risk for severe thunderstorms on Thursday, with damaging winds and hail being the main threats. Locally heavy downpours will be a threat once again as well.

Here's the five-day forecast based on New City:

• Tuesday Afternoon - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind around 8 mph.
• Tonight - A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
• Tuesday - A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night - Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 65. Light and variable wind.
• Wednesday - Sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
• Wednesday Night - Mostly clear, with a low around 70.
• Thursday - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
• Thursday Night - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
• Friday - Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
• Friday Night - Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
• Saturday - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
• Saturday Night - A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.

Wildfires in Canada and the western USA continue to contribute to the haze. There are 1,079 active fires in Canada, twice as many as in June. In the United States, "wildfire activity is picking up," the National Interagency Fire Center said Monday. "Eight new large fires were reported Sunday, four in Arizona, one in Idaho, two in Oregon, and one in Wyoming."