Storm To Bring Prolonged Heavy, Cold Rain To The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Periods of heavy rain, gusty winds, coastal flooding, and cold temps are expected Saturday and Sunday in the lower Hudson Valley due to a strengthening storm system in the Atlantic Ocean.

"It looks wet and breezy with cooler temperatures and flooding potential. I am leaning toward an entire washout for the weekend with anywhere from 1" to 4" of rainfall," said Bruce Furbeck of First Due Weather.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous outlook for Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties.

For Dutchess and Ulster counties, however, there's only a 50 percent chance of showers Saturday and Sunday.

The bad weather's due to a storm system that has been strengthening over the Atlantic Ocean.

"Confidence is high that the system brewing just off the Atlantic coast will become a tropical or subtropical storm," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said. "A subtropical storm, which has both tropical and non-tropical characteristics associated with it, is most likely due to the structure of the storm."

Conditions may deteriorate quickly along the mid-Atlantic coast as the system strengthens and moves northward, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski warned.

Predictions for rainfall range from 1-5 inches, and are expected to vary locally.

"Rain arrives around daybreak Saturday and persists throughout the day," Furbeck said. "Sunday, the wave of low pressure will have an opportunity to fizzle over New Jersey or continue a track either over the Hudson Valley or bend eastward out into the Atlantic Ocean with a path near or over the benchmark. Regardless, it brings additional rain. The unknown as of this morning is, how much additional rainfall? Rain is currently expected for most of Sunday and Sunday night. PS., it likely continues to rain into early Monday afternoon."

Temperatures won't get out of the 60s in the daytime and will dip into the 50s at night.

Here's the five-day forecast based on Rockland County:

• Thursday Afternoon - Sunny. Highs around 70. North winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Tonight - Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 40s. North winds around 5 mph.
• Friday - Mostly sunny in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Highs around 70. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday Night - Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain after midnight. Lows in the lower 50s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
• Saturday - Rain likely. Highs in the lower 60s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Saturday Night - Rain likely. Lows in the mid 50s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Sunday - Cloudy with rain likely in the morning, then partly sunny with a chance of rain in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Sunday Night - Mostly cloudy in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of rain. Lows in the mid 50s.
• Monday - Partly sunny. A chance of showers in the morning. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
• Monday Night - Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.