3-Day Storm Bringing Rain, Thunder, Snow, Sleet To The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — A long duration storm is expected to affect the region Tuesday night
through Thursday with periods of rain for most of the valley but with snow, ice and sleet mixed in for the northwest.

"The latest indications are it will be too warm for snow to fall in New York City," said Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist. "It will be a different story just a bit farther to the north and west."

A bit, in this case, means western Ulster County. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for the northern and eastern Catskills, the western and southern Adirondacks, Schoharie Valley, Glens Falls and northern Saratoga Region and Helderbergs in eastern New York over an April nor'easter bringing heavy snow and mixed precipitation. The possible snow and sleet accumulations could reach 7 or more inches.

On the edge of the storm system, some flurries are possible in Dutchess, Orange and Putnam counties.

"The big question that becomes interesting on Wednesday … will be just how cold do the temperatures get across the region?" said Bill Potter of Hudson Valley Weather. "Temperatures are going to be so close to freezing … that it will likely depend on how rapidly the coastal low pressure intensifies Wednesday night. If the coastal low begins to bomb out and intensify quickly … it could develop an area of heavy precipitation, that with the atmospheric temperature profile so marginal … we could see a burst of 3 to 6 hours of heavy, wet snow across parts of the region between midnight and sunrise on Thursday morning. It’s also possible that the early April temps are just too warm to support snow, and a wintry mix of slushy snow and rain fall."

"Along with heavy rain and potential for heavy wintry precipitation there are also possibilities for thunderstorms during the early morning hours of Wednesday and then again during later Wednesday afternoon and evening," Bruce Furbeck of First Due Weather said on Facebook.

Travel could be very difficult to impossible at the height of the storm, the NWS said, warning that
hazardous conditions could affect the morning or evening commute. Strong and gusty winds combined with heavy wet snow could down large tree limbs, some trees and cause power outages.

"No matter what … an ugly week of weather lies ahead," Potter said.

Here's the next 48 hours at a glance for Kingston:

Here's the six-day forecast for northern Westchester:

• Tuesday Afternoon - Rain. Highs in the upper 40s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 20 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
• Tonight - Rain. Lows in the upper 30s. East winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
• Wednesday - Rain, breezy with highs in the lower 40s. East winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
• Wednesday Night - Rain with isolated thunderstorms in the evening, then rain after midnight. Breezy with lows in the upper 30s. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
• Thursday - Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain. Highs in the mid 40s. Northwest winds around 10 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
• Thursday Night - Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain in the evening. Lows in the mid 30s. Chance of rain 50 percent.
• Friday - Mostly cloudy in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. Highs in the upper 40s.
• Friday Night - Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s.
• Saturday - Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 40s.
• Saturday Night - Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s.
• Sunday - Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.
• Sunday Night - Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.