Storms Move Through, Bringing 'Spectacular' Saturday To The HV

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The storm front that brought thunder, wind and downpours at dawn in parts of the region will move out around lunchtime.

The National Weather Service warns that wind gusts in excess of 50 mph could damage trees and power lines and result in scattered power outages. Isolated weak tornadoes are possible, but more likely over Long Island and western Connecticut, the NWS said. Areas of mainly minor flooding are possible. There is the chance of an isolated flash flood.

There's a hazardous outlook Friday morning for Dutchess and Ulster counties.

Commenters on Hudson Valley Weather's Facebook page said the early morning "deluge" dropped almost 2 inches of rain in about 30 minutes as one of the thunderstorm cells passed over.

The NWS has not released town-by-town rainfall totals.

The storms are leading a cool front and that's bringing drier weather.

"Saturday will feel spectacular. Sunny and dry with a high in the upper 70s and an afternoon dew point in the 50s," Bruce Furbeck of First Due Weather in Orange County said on Facebook. "Sunday is slightly warmer with highs in the low 80s but still comfortable with afternoon dew points in the 50s."

However, wildfire smoke from blazes in Canada may cause the sky to appear to be hazy at times this weekend, said Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.

"As a massive dome of heat sets up over the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley in the coming days, bursts of cool air from central Canada will drop across the northeastern corner of the U.S.," Sosnowski said. "The waves of cool air will help to trim back temperatures and humidity in the region. Showers and thunderstorms that will be triggered along the leading edge of cool air will signal the changes."

Here's the weekend weather report from the National Weather Service, based on Poughkeepsie:

• Friday - Mostly cloudy with showers likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms this morning, then mostly sunny with a chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds and heavy rainfall this morning. Highs in the upper 70s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph, becoming west this afternoon. Chance of rain 70 percent.
• Tonight - Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Cooler. Less humid with lows in the mid 50s. West winds 10 to 15 mph.
• Saturday - Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Saturday Night - Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly clear. Lows in the lower 50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Sunday - Sunny. Highs around 80. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Sunday Night - Partly cloudy. Lows around 60.
• Monday And Monday Night - Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s. Lows around 60.
• Tuesday - Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Not as warm with highs in the lower 70s.
• Tuesday Night Through Thursday - Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. Highs in the mid 70s.