What to Know
- A line of strong thunderstorms triggered a series of severe weather alerts for much of the tri-state area Wednesday afternoon
- Damaging winds, downpours and widespread lightning appear to be the main threats; hail was reported in Brooklyn and Manhattan, while a brief tornado warning was issued for Dutchess County
- Once the storms move out Wednesday evening, temperatures fall and should barely hit 50 degrees Thursday; wind gusts of 40 mph or higher will make it feel more like the 20s and 30s through much of the day
Strong storms triggered booming thunder across much of New York, New Jersey and parts of Connecticut Wednesday afternoon, blasting parts of the city with hail as they threatened the tri-state with destructive winds, heavy rain and lightning.
Pea-sized hail was reported in Brooklyn as the storms approached, while larger hail was spotted in Manhattan. A brief tornado warning was issued for Dutchess County as the worst storms hit but expired shortly after 3 p.m. Check live radar here for the latest timing and potential impacts from the storms.
Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for virtually the entire tri-state area by mid-afternoon as wild winds downed trees in parts of Ulster County and elsewhere. Tri-state residents are advised to expect more potential pop-up storms until about 6 p.m., when the worst weather should start to move out of the region.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Severe thunderstorm watches remain in effect for Long Island until 4:45 p.m. Check the latest severe weather alerts for your neighborhood here.
Most spots in and around the city were in the "more likely" zone for severe weather risk, which was elevated Wednesday morning ahead of the storms. They started to move in shortly after lunchtime and will continue to hit parts of the tri-state area until about 6 p.m. The city was expected to see its worst weather around 3 p.m., when the slew of warnings was issued by the National Weather Service.
Any lingering storms are expected to move out by Wednesday evening as gusty winds and much cooler temperatures hit. Wednesday's temps are expected to see highs around 64 degrees. Then temperatures are set to plunge.
The entire region will face a drastic drop in temperatures overnight leading into Thursday, which is only expected to see a high around 51 degrees. Powerful winds gusting over 40 mph will make it feel more like the 20s and 30s for most of the day.
With lows expected to settle near or below freezing, a freeze warning has been issued for parts of the region effective late Wednesday through Thursday morning. Check all the latest severe weather alerts for your neighborhood here.
The weather looks to bounce back a bit ahead of the weekend, with temps expected to climb back to the mid-60s as the sun starts to come out on Friday. By Saturday, temperatures will be near 70 again ahead of another drizzly threat Sunday.
Track the approaching storms using our interactive radar below.
