Severe Storms To Bring End To Heat In The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Relief from the latest stretch of high temperatures is in sight, but it's coming with thunderstorms and heavy rain.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous outlook for Dutchess and Ulster counties for Monday afternoon and evening, saying damaging wind gusts and hail are the primary threats. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible.

There is also a chance for thunderstorms on Tuesday. Locally heavy rainfall may lead to isolated to scattered flash flooding with a marginal to slight risk for excessive rainfall.

"A much different day is expected for our Tuesday across the Hudson Valley," said the folks at Hudson Valley Weather. "We expect mostly cloudy skies, and cooler temperatures thanks to those low clouds and patchy showers and drizzle. Highs on Tuesday are expected to be in the mid to upper 70s."

The showers and thunderstorms will be due to the leading edge of a southward-sagging batch of cooler air from Ontario and western Quebec, said Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.

The National Weather Service has issued hazardous outlooks for Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester counties on Tuesday, putting the Hudson Valley at "slight risk" for excessive rainfall and predicting isolated to scattered instances of flash flooding.

Orange & Rockland Utilities is preparing to mobilize its emergency response workforce ahead of the thunderstorms and heavy rain forecasted to pass through the region on Tuesday.

"These potential thunderstorms could pose a significant threat to electric service due to high
winds, lightning, or downed trees and tree limbs – all of which could interfere with the safe,
reliable delivery of electric service," company officials said.

The heat may leave, but the humidity will remain, as clouds and rain are expected for a while.

"A saturated atmosphere for the next ten days will be capable of producing enhanced downpours providing a possibility for a quick 1" to 3" of rainfall over a short period of time, if triggered," Bruce Furbeck of First Due Weather said on Facebook. "Enhanced downpours will create possibilities for localized flooding."

Tropical Storm Debby will be part of the problem — rainfall since Friday topped 20 inches around Sarasota, Florida.

"After dumping feet of rain while crawling through coastal areas of the southeastern U.S. into Thursday, Debby is forecast to pick up speed later this week," Sosnowski said. "There will likely be a period of above-normal tides, rough surf, beach erosion and even coastal flooding in part of the mid-Atlantic on Friday."

Here's the 7-day forecast based on Rockland County:

• Monday - Sunny. Highs in the upper 80s. Southeast winds around 5 mph, becoming southwest this afternoon.
• Tonight - Partly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then mostly cloudy with a chance of showers with a slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Humid with lows in the lower 70s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph, becoming west after midnight. Chance of rain 30 percent.
• Tuesday - Partly sunny with a chance of showers with isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then mostly cloudy with showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall in the afternoon. Humid with highs around 80. North winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Tuesday Night - Showers likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall. Lows in the lower 60s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
• Wednesday - Mostly cloudy. Showers likely with a slight chance of thunderstorms in the morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon. Some thunderstorms may produce heavy rainfall in the morning. Highs in the lower 70s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
• Wednesday Night - Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
• Thursday - Partly sunny. A chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
• Thursday Night - Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Friday - Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Friday Night - Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Saturday - Partly sunny. Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
• Saturday Night - Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 50 percent.
• Sunday - Partly sunny. A chance of showers in the morning. Highs in the upper 70s. Chance of rain 30 percent.

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