What to Know
- Friday could be the hottest day of the year
- The heat will stick around through the weekend
- A chance for storms returns Sunday
Torrential downpours battered parts of the tri-state area Thursday as a line of severe storms moved over the region, prompting a tornado warning in one New Jersey county.
The tornado warning for Warren County expired at 3:15 p.m., but strong thunderstorms featuring lightning, thunder and downpours continued to batter the metropolitan area, including New York City's five boroughs.
[NATL] Extreme Weather Photos: Record Heat Threatens Europe
In Livingston, New Jersey, trees smashed onto homes on Mohawk Drive, bringing down wires with them. Residents were briefly ordered to leave their homes as utility crews responded; no one was hurt. Trees were also knocked down in Morris County and other parts of New Jersey.
Lightning strikes caught the eyes of drivers near the Lincoln Tunnel, and booming thunder startled New Yorkers on midtown streets by early afternoon. In Fort Lee, lightning was blamed for a fire that torched the roof of a home. And torrential rains made a soggy mess of the northbound lanes of Routes 1 and 9 in Jersey City.
Tree Demolishes Car in New Jersey During Strong Storms
It'll be warm and humid overnight, making for uncomfortable sleeping conditions for people without air conditioners.
Local
Friday, the heat will really crank up, Storm Team 4 says. Highs in the five boroughs could top 95 degrees, with a heat index that makes it feel like it's in the triple digits.
The heat will stick around through the weekend, with highs in the upper 80s and 90s both days. A storm threat could also return on Sunday.
