After 40-Degree Warm Up, High Wind Warning In RI

RHODE ISLAND — After a 40-degree warm-up in just 24 hours, Rhode Island is in for a powerful weather system Thursday night. The National Weather Service upgraded the statewide wind advisory to a high wind warning, from late Thursday night until Friday morning.

Wind gusts are expected to reach 60 mph across the state, paired with heavy rain. The worst of the storm is expected to hit during the overnight hours. This could cause power outages, block roads with fallen tree limbs and cause other damage.

The storm comes after a quick warm-up in the state, with temperatures rising from the single digits to nearly 50 degrees in some parts of the region. The warm temperatures are expected to stick around through Friday, with highs expected to reach the mid-50s after exceeding 60 degrees Thursday. Temperatures are expected to drop by Friday night, with overnight lows in the 20s and a chance of rain and snow during the day Saturday.

Here's a look at the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph.

Thursday Night
Rain, mainly after 11 p.m. Low around 52. Breezy, with a south wind 14 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday
Rain, mainly before 8 a.m. Temperature falling to around 34 by 5 p.m. Breezy, with a southwest wind 14 to 22 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 20. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Saturday
A chance of rain between noon and 4 p.m., then a chance of snow after 4 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. Light southwest wind increasing to 11 to 16 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 20. Northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 37. Northwest wind 6 to 13 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Southwest wind 10 to 13 mph.

Washington's Birthday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Southwest wind around 11 mph.

Monday Night
A chance of rain after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.