New York City is waking up to one of the nicest Sundays of summer, with highs near 80°F and plenty of sunshine — but make the most of today, because a powerful storm system is locked in for Monday with serious flood potential.
Today’s Setup
Sunday, June 21 looks great across all five boroughs. Skies are mostly sunny, west winds run just 5 to 8 mph, and temperatures climb to near 80°F before easing to around 77°F in the afternoon. The National Weather Service notes a slight chance of rain showers between 2 PM and 5 PM ET — mainly across the interior — with about a 20% precipitation chance. Any isolated showers should quickly fade as the shortwave energy pushes east by evening. Tonight stays partly cloudy with a comfortable low near 67°F and a light northeast breeze.
Best Window To Be Outside
Get out in the morning. Central Park, the Hudson River greenway, and the waterfront parks in all five boroughs are in play through early afternoon. A lightweight linen shirt is all you need until the 2–5 PM window. If you planned a picnic at Prospect Park or Riverside, go early and wrap up by 1 PM to stay ahead of any stray showers.
Game Day Weather
Heading to Yankee Stadium for the New York Yankees vs. Cincinnati Reds today? Conditions look solid through first pitch and into the early innings — just watch that late-afternoon shower window. Represent in your New York Yankees jersey and New York Yankees fitted cap for the ride up on the 4 train. Still need seats? Get tickets on SeatGeek or Find tickets on StubHub.
Broadway is an excellent call tonight: Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Lyric Theatre are both indoors — no weather worries there.
Monday Storm Alert
Monday is a very different story. The National Weather Service is warning of showers and thunderstorms likely throughout the day — 70% precipitation chance — escalating to near-certainty Monday night at 90%. The system could drop 1 to 2 inches of rain overnight, raising urban flooding concerns for subway entrances, low-lying streets, and poor-drainage corridors across the metro. The NWS specifically flags a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms in the NYC metro and NE New Jersey Monday afternoon and evening.
The New York Mets host the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field on Monday, June 22 — and that game takes a direct hit from this system. Check for postponement updates before heading to Flushing. The Mets-Cubs series continues June 23 and June 24, both of which could also see lingering storm impacts.
What To Wear Or Bring
- Today: Light, breathable layers — a lightweight linen shirt does the job.
- Monday: A packable rain jacket and a compact travel umbrella are non-negotiable. Leave the suede shoes at home.
- Storm prep: With 1–2 inches possible Monday night, it’s worth checking out the DARAN 288Wh Power Station at $90 for Prime Members before the thunderstorms roll in.
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Rainy Night Dinner
Monday night is exactly what a programmable slow cooker was built for — load it up with chili, beef stew, or a big pot of soup before you leave for work and come home to something warm waiting for you. An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is just as good for a stovetop batch this weekend. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
The National Weather Service also flags showers and thunderstorms possible Thursday and Friday as additional energy moves through. This is a wet week for New York — keep that compact travel umbrella in your bag all week and check back for updates as Monday’s storm system gets closer.
