Chill To Persist After Tornado, Heavy Rain: Hudson Valley Forecast

HUDSON VALLEY, NY —Below-normal temperatures swooped in behind the storm that brought a tornado, thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain to the Hudson Valley over the weekend. (See town-by-town rainfall totals below for the lower Hudson Valley.)

"Unlike in previous shots of cool air in the last few weeks, this one is likely to keep temperatures below typical late-April levels through the month without much relief. In fact, even more cool air could move in later in the week," said Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.

While many are glad to put off sweltering for a little while longer, it's actually problematic across the region.

"Recent warmth has caused bud-break and leaf-out much earlier than usual, putting some tender vegetation, such as fruit trees, bushes and vines at risk for damage during multiple nights of frost," she said.

So if you were lured by the higher-than-normal temperatures we had in early April, Alex Marra of Hudson Valley Weather offered some advice on Facebook: "Next two mornings look cold enough for the need to protect any early planting that the warm spring may have lured you into, especially across the higher terrain."

Many local communities received more than 2 inches of rain over the past 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service, which offered a breakdown for Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties.

Orange County

• WALDEN 2.52 inches
• US MILITARY ACADEMY 2.27
• MONTGOMERY 2.13
• MONTGOMERY AIRPORT 2.05
• MIDDLETOWN 1.93
• WARWICK 1.85
• CHESTER 1.70
• HARRIMAN 1.69
• PORT JERVIS 1.61
• 2.6 NW TUXEDO PARK 1.56
• VAILS GATE 1.55
• WASHINGTONVILLE 1.31

Putnam County

• COLD SPRING 2.19 inches
• CARMEL HAMLET 1.94
• MAHOPAC 1.85
• LAKE CARMEL 1.63

Rockland County

• SPRING VALLEY 2.41 inches
• STONY POINT 2.33
• BLAUVELT 2.17
• SPRING VALLEY 1.7
• MONTEBELLO 1.98
• POMONA 1.89
• NANUET 1.79
• NEW CITY 1.70
• BARDONIA 1.53
• SLOATSBURG 1.32

Westchester County

• PEEKSKILL 2.76 inches
• OSSINING 2.47
• TARRYTOWN 2.44
• SHRUB OAK 2.35
• BRIARCLIFF MANOR 2.28
• ARMONK 2.27
• THORNWOOD 2.21
• NEW ROCHELLE 2.20
• HARRISON 2.16
• WHITE PLAINS AIRPORT 2.08
• RYE BROOK 1.97
• HARTSDALE 1.94
• YORKTOWN HEIGHTS 1.90
• MIDLAND PARK 1.84
• ELMSFORD 1.82
• PLEASANTVILLE 1.72
• SOUTH SALEM 1.61
• RYE 1.42
• MOUNT KISCO 1.27
• 3 ESE GOLDENS BRIDGE 1.05
• DOBBS FERRY 1.03

What a fitting start to Severe Weather Awareness Week, which highlights the need for keeping informed of pending severe weather and having a plan to deal when it strikes.

The annual campaign is a partnership between New York State, the National Weather Service, local and volunteer agencies and private sector organizations to educate New Yorkers about the hazards of severe weather during the spring and summer months. Severe weather, by definition, includes flash flooding, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes.

More than 500 tornadoes have been reported in New York since NOAA began record keeping in 1952, with almost each county in the state having experienced at least one tornado in that time. The tornado this weekend was a Category 2 that traveled 10 miles on the ground. The worst damage occurred on a farm and a nearby residence in Sullivan County. A 180-foot truss tower collapsed, bending into three sections.

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray
outlined the four steps to emergency preparedness and what New Yorkers can do to keep themselves and their families safe from disaster:

1. Develop a plan for you and your family at home, school, work and outdoors. Identify a safe place to take shelter and know what actions to take when a warning is issued. Consider pets when planning for an emergency.
2. Build a kit of emergency supplies to last at least 10 days. Include flashlights, weather radio, and extra batteries. You should have one kit each for your home and your vehicle. Plan for any medical needs your family may have. Keep emergency supplies for pets.
3. Stay tuned to TV and radio stations that broadcast Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages and follow local emergency orders when issued. Receive emergency information direct to your computer or cell phone by subscribing to NY Alert at https://alert.ny.gov, a free service that provides you with critical emergency information when you need it most.
4. Consider visiting your local emergency management office to learn more about how to protect you and your family. Consider volunteering with organizations such as the American Red Cross, New York Cares, or the Salvation Army.

Disaster Supplies

Have disaster supplies on hand, including:

• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Battery-operated radio and extra batteries
• First aid kit and manual
• Emergency food and water
• Non-electric can opener
• Essential medicines
• Checkbook, cash, credit cards, ATM cards

Flash Flooding

• Never attempt to drive on a flooded road. Turn around and go another way.
• If water begins to rise rapidly around you in your car, abandon the vehicle immediately.
• Do not underestimate the power of fast-moving water. Two feet of fast-moving flood water will float your car, and water moving at two miles per hour can sweep cars off a road or bridge.

Lightning

• Follow the 30-30 rule: If the time between when you see a flash of lightning and hear thunder is 30 seconds or less, the lightning is close enough to hit you. Seek shelter immediately. After the last flash of lightning, wait 30 minutes before leaving your shelter.
• Lightning hits the tallest object. If you are above a tree line, quickly get below it and crouch down if you are in an exposed area.
• If you can't get to a shelter, stay away from trees. If there is no shelter, crouch in the open, keeping twice as far away from a tree as it is tall.

Tornado

• If outdoors and a Tornado Warning is issued, seek shelter immediately. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in a ditch or low spot with your hands shielding your head.
• If at home or in a small building, go to the basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of the building. Stay away from windows. Closets, bathrooms, and other interior rooms offer the best protection. Get under something sturdy or cover yourself with a mattress.
• If in a school, hospital, or shopping center, go to a pre-designated shelter area. Stay away from large open areas and windows. Do not go outside to your car.
• If in a high-rise building, go to an interior small room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. Do not use elevators - use stairs instead.

For more information on personal preparedness and how to stay safe during severe weather, visit: https://www.dhses.gov/safety.

"Severe weather is often dangerous and unpredictable, but the steps we collectively take to prepare can minimize the devastating impacts it could have on our daily lives," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release "I encourage all New Yorkers to spend time this week learning about the risks we face from severe weather and what we can do to protect ourselves and embolden our efforts to remain disaster-ready."

Here's the five-day forecast based on western Dutchess from the NWS:

• Monday - Partly sunny. A slight chance of showers this afternoon. Highs in the upper 50s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
• Tonight - Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s. North winds around 5 mph.
• Tuesday - Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. North winds around 5 mph, becoming west in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night - Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. North winds around 5 mph.
• Wednesday - Partly sunny. A chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s. East winds around 5 mph, becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of rain 40 percent.
• Wednesday Night - Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers. Lows in the upper 30s.
• Thursday - Mostly sunny. A chance of showers in the morning. Highs in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
• Thursday Night - Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.
• Friday And Friday Night - Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 60s. Lows in the lower 40s.