A powerful spring storm is expected to charge into the tri-state area Sunday, pelting the region with wind gusts up to 50 mph and rainfall rates near an inch an hour at times.
Expect it to be mostly dry during the daylight hours Sunday, with rain reaching far northwest New Jersey around sunset. This is the same system bringing devastating storms to the Midwest on Friday and the Southeast on Saturday. Those regions face the threat of destructive wind gusts, baseball-sized hail, and strong tornadoes.
Then it pushes into New York City before midnight. Rain could potentially linger into Monday's morning commute and the start of the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Fifth Avenue, but that forecast may change.
While a dry start to the day is good news for anyone running the New York City half marathon Sunday morning, runners will have to contend with gusty winds reaching 25 to 35 mph. Winds this strong may be helpful when they’re coming from behind, but as a headwind, they’ll make the run that much more onerous.
By the time this system makes its way to the tri-state, the greatest severe threat will have passed, but we will still face the chance for isolated severe weather, with the greatest concern being the destructive winds.
Gusts could top 50 mph, which is strong enough to knock branches off trees and even tumble power lines. Primary timing for the worst of this will be overnight into early Monday.
By the morning commute on Monday, showers may still be around, but the greatest storm threat will be over. You should still anticipate some isolated pockets of heavy rain, which will make for reduced visibility at times.
This storm doesn't look to bring any massive flood threat but there is a risk for some minor flooding on low-lying roads and other flood-prone areas. If your commute involves a road with a propensity to flood, give yourself a little extra time for the morning drive and have an alternate route planned as a back-up.
Overall, this system will deliver a decent amount of rain across the region. Most of the area will see between a half-inch and an inch of rain. But out on Long Island, where showers will linger a little longer into Monday, totals will be in the range of 1 to 2 inches.
