New York City is in for a soaked, stormy Tuesday, with a high near 81°F, showers and thunderstorms on and off all day, and a 98% chance of rain — grab a packable rain jacket and build some slack into your commute before you head out the door.
Today’s Setup
According to the National Weather Service in Upton, a primary area of low pressure is tracking east through southeast Canada today, while a weaker secondary low rides along a warm front that’s expected to shift into the western part of our region this afternoon — more likely late in the day than early. A trailing cold front won’t clear us until Wednesday evening, which is why today’s rain chance (near 100%) is so much higher than Wednesday’s (40%).
Best Window To Be Outside
Forecasters say shower activity should ramp up after roughly 8-9 AM ET, especially over western parts of the area, with better model agreement on a second, more organized round of showers and storms arriving toward sundown into the evening. If you need a walk, dog run, or errand outside, your best bet is a lull before that late-afternoon push — just don’t count on staying fully dry.
Rain, Wind, Flash Flood Risk
The Weather Prediction Center has placed the Northeast, including our area, under a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall today, with new totals already expected between a half and three-quarters of an inch, and another three-quarters to a full inch possible overnight. That’s enough for localized flash flooding on poor-drainage streets and underpasses. The local NWS office also flags a chance of scattered severe storms today into tonight as instability builds through the afternoon — damaging wind gusts are the top concern, with a low chance of large hail or an isolated tornado. Separately, all ocean beaches, including the Rockaways and Coney Island, are under a high risk of rip currents both today and Wednesday, so stay out of the surf even if the sun peeks out.
Gameday And Event Weather
The Yankees host the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium tonight and again Wednesday — tonight’s game carries real risk of delays given the forecast, so tailgaters should watch radar closely and keep ponchos handy; Wednesday looks drier with a high near 85°F. Grab a New York Yankees jersey or New York Yankees fitted cap before first pitch, and check tickets on SeatGeek or tickets on StubHub if you’re heading down. The Mets host the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field later this week. Downtown, Hamilton at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (Wednesday) and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Lyric Theatre (tonight) are both indoors — a solid backup plan on a night like this.
What To Wear Or Bring
A compact travel umbrella and waterproof hiking boots will save your shoes on flooded sidewalks, and southerly wind gusts to 15 mph make a sturdy umbrella worth the upgrade. If you’re stuck inside tonight, it’s a good excuse to finally set up that 50-inch Pioneer 4K Roku TV deal for a storm-watching movie night.
Dinner Idea For A Rainy Night
A night like this calls for comfort food — a pot of chili or beef stew simmering low and slow. A programmable slow cooker or an enameled cast iron Dutch oven makes it easy. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Wednesday trends drier and warmer, with a high near 85°F and just a 38% storm chance as the cold front finally clears the area by evening, dropping lows into the mid-60s Wednesday night behind a shift to northwest winds.
