Severe Thunderstorms Possible Saturday: Hudson Valley Forecast

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — A cold front is expected to bring strong to severe thunderstorms to the area on Saturday, and the National Weather Service has issued a hazardous outlook.

Utility companies are preparing. For example, O&R is activating its company-wide emergency response group. Company and contractor overhead line crews and its tree removal experts are mobilizing for deployment early Saturday afternoon. Customer service operations and support functions also will mobilize then.

First, Friday will be hot. "The humidity and intense early July sunshine will send afternoon AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures toward 100 degrees," said Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.

It's likely to rain Saturday morning, and thunderstorms are possible all day.

"The storms that roll through Saturday afternoon and evening are likely to become severe in some communities and bring the risk of flash flooding, locally damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning and even some hail," he said.

The front will blow a lot of the humidity away, and Sunday and Monday are looking to be mostly sunny. Widespread highs in the 80s are in store for the Northeast on Sunday and the Fourth of July, AccuWeather forecasters say.

Here's the daily forecast from the NWS through the holiday weekend based on northern Westchester:

• Friday - Sunny. Highs around 90. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 20 mph in the afternoon.
• Friday Night - Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Humid with lows in the upper 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
• Saturday - Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning, then showers with thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Humid with highs in the mid 80s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 80 percent.
• Saturday Night - Mostly cloudy. Showers with thunderstorms likely in the evening. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds in the evening. Lows in the lower 60s. West winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent.
• Sunday - Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.
• Sunday Night - Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s.
• Independence Day - Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s.
• Monday Night - Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 60s.
• Tuesday - Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.