Blowing Hot and Cold: Weekend Weather for Rockland County

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — While the Central US faces more severe weather on the heels of violent tornadoes earlier this week, the Northeast is getting a beautiful spring weekend, forecasters say. That's not to say things will be normal.

From the week's crazy highs (Poughkeepsie broke a record Wednesday), temperatures will drop to only 20 degrees above average on Friday before plunging down to a couple of degrees below normal on Saturday and Sunday, the National Weather Service predicts.

The change brings relief for many: the Air Quality Index has shifted to Moderate for Rockland and Westchester, and Good for the rest of the Hudson Valley.

It's due to a cold front expected to move through this afternoon — maybe bringing isolated showers or thunderstorms — and pulling cool, dry air behind it.

"With Friday being a day of transition, we’ll see a wide variety of high temperatures across the Hudson Valley. South of I-84, we could see highs crack into the low 80s… but the further north you go, highs may have to fight to reach the mid 70s," said Bill Potter of Hudson Valley Weather. "A much cooler night ahead for Friday night, with overnight lows in the upper 40s and low 50s possible. That sets up a much cooler weekend."

The Air Quality Index is

Here's the NWS forecast for Rockland County:

Today
Mostly sunny. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight
Mostly clear. Much cooler. Less humid with lows in the lower 50s. North winds 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday
Mostly sunny. Cooler with highs in the lower 70s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph, becoming east in the afternoon.

Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s. South winds around 5 mph in the evening, becoming light and variable.

Sunday
Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers in the evening, then showers likely after midnight. Lows in the mid 50s. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Image: AccuWeather.com