Humid weather Saturday in NYC as Hurricane Ernesto churns offshore. Here's the First Alert Forecast.
Saturday
Today, mostly cloudy skies will remain in place with a few light showers possible. Humidity will continue to rise and highs will only top out in the lower 80s.
The rain threat increases into tonight as lows drop into the low 70s.
Sunday
Tomorrow, waves of showers and thunderstorms are likely throughout the day, especially in the evening hours.
A truly tropical airmass will be in place by then, which would enhance the threat of heavy rainfall. Rainfall totals may exceed 2 inches in some locations, and thus there is a possibility of flash flooding. While an isolated severe thunderstorm may develop, the overall severe threat is rather meager.
By the afternoon hours, winds will turn gusty -- especially along the immediate coast -- with gusts between 25 and 30 mph.
Due to all the clouds and showers, temperatures, once again, won't get any further than the lower 80s.
Hurricane Ernesto
Hurricane Ernesto made a landfall in Bermuda on Saturday morning as a Category 1 storm. Ernesto will rapidly move into the north Atlantic by Sunday, likely just missing the Canadian maritime provinces.
Although Ernesto is hundreds of miles to the east, some indirect impacts will still be felt along our coastlines. The greatest concern would be the threat of dangerous rip currents that will last through the weekend. This threat has prompted the closure of all NYC beaches until Monday. High surf, with wave heights ranging from 4 to 7 feet will likely keep many swimmers out of the water. The pounding surf may lead to some beach erosion. Coastal flooding may also become an issue as the high waves work in conjunction with the approaching full moon on Monday.