What to Know
- A nasty storm system is expected to drench much of the tri-state area throughout the day Thursday
- Flash flood and flood watches have been issued for much of the region; the heaviest rain is expected in the late morning and early afternoon
- It'll feel like spring, though, with temps nearing the 60-degree mark
Drenching downpours and whipping winds battered the tri-state early Thursday, setting off an hours-long siege of flash floods and flood watches across much of the region, before moving out and making way for icy cold temps again.
Torrential downpours swept through the afternoon, producing flash floods in some spots. Gusty winds were also expected, putting residents on alert for potential havoc on power lines, trees and cause property damage. Click here to see the latest weather alerts in your neighborhood. (And you can stay on top of the storm with our live StormTracker 4 radar here throughout the day).
The heavy rain and strong, gusty winds were moving out of the area by evening, making way for cold, dry air and temperatures that are expected to drop below freezing -- which could result in icy patches during Friday morning's commute, according to Storm Team 4.
A widespread 1 to 1.5 inches of rain was expected before the rain moved out; some spots had seen that much already shortly after noon, Storm Team 4 said.
The downpour impacted flights at local area airports, with delays topping averages of 3 hours during the afternoon.
Thursday saw a high of 59 degrees, but the unseasonable warmth won't last -- colder air slides back into the region heading into Thursday night, plunging temps back into the 20s and 30s overnight.
Friday's high is only expected to be around 38 degrees, a 20-degree plunge in just 24 hours. Temps look to plunge to the freezing mark on Saturday, but get a slight bump back into the 40s on Sunday, Storm Team 4 says.
