NEW YORK -- We're on Red Alert for a storm that's bringing heavy rain and gusty winds, followed by a sharp drop in temperatures.
It comes as millions of people are traveling for Christmas weekend.
Stick with CBS2 and see live updates below for the latest.
Trees & power lines down, driver stranded in Westchester
The Arriagas of New Rochelle felt the house shake when wind toppled a massive tree early Friday morning, causing epic damage to two work vehicles and a pair of family cars.
"The wind was really, really rough, and we heard a loud noise," said Tanyi Arriaga. "It's just crazy. My daughter's car just got destroyed. It's her birthday, she had all these plans. It's just crazy."
Multiple trees came down in New Rochelle, taking out power to street lights and homes. Crews contracted by Con Edison were quickly on the scene.
In Rye, the storm didn't stop first responders. Police were called to the Playland Pier as it rolled in Thursday night.
Body camera video shows Officer Marc Spergel running to rescue a troubled person who had jumped into the Long Island Sound.
Spergel and partner Stefano Silvestri climbed onto a breakwater and down into the frigid water to bring the jumper to shore.
"That water was freezing and you could feel it as soon as it touched you. Afterwards our fingers were numb, and our feet. We had to change our clothes. Yeah, it was a long night," said Spergel.
Extreme flooding on Long Island, icy roads next
In Island Park, the Long Island Rail Road tracks flooded and folks were navigating flooding levels they haven't seen in years.
"Literally within 10 minutes, boom," said Peter Rizik. "The water was just like a river coming down the block."
"This is the worst weather event we've had in 10 years, without a doubt," said Mayor Michael McGinty.
McGinty said it in no way compares to Superstorm Sandy, which inundated thousands of Long Island homes, but he said seeing streets impassible was a tough flashback.
Across Nassau County, more than 100 cars got stuck in flooded streets. As the water receded, the temperature dropped precipitously.
Friday evening update
Hundreds more flights canceled at Tri-State Area airports, as temperatures expected to plummet
The pre-Christmas storm continues to wreck havoc on travel plans.
As of 5 p.m. on Friday, there had been 4,823 cancellations and 7,161 delays nationwide.
At the Tri-State Area airports, LaGuardia had 407 cancellations and 294 delays, Newark Liberty had 166 cancellations and 266 delays, and John F. Kennedy had 150 cancellations and 324 delays.
Flash freezing a major concern in the Tri-State Area
Homeowner fears storm damage will cost thousands
Beach Channel Drive in Queens was a muddy river Friday morning as drivers gingerly navigated the floodwaters and saw firsthand what driving into it head-on did to others.
"I stalled out. I was stranded there for like two hours, decided to get out and push it to higher ground," one driver said.
Far Rockaway only received about half an inch of rain, but neighbors said high tide at 7 a.m. caused water from the bay to back into their sewer system, overwhelming the roads and their homes.
"It was heavy last night. It woke everybody up in the house and I haven't seen it this bad since Sandy," said Chip Marti
Now, neighbors say they're urgently trying to pump the water out so sidewalks and driveways have time to dry before freezing temperatures take hold.
First Alert forecast: 12 p.m. Friday
Winter weather advisory in New Jersey
A Winter weather advisory has been issued for parts of New Jersey. A burst of snow Friday afternoon could produce up to 1/2 inch of snow over a short period of time, creating icy/slippery conditions.
Winds take down trees
CBS2's Tony Aiello came across a large tree that fell in New Rochelle.
It damaged four vehicles along with the gutter and windows of a home.
Now what's next?
Alert: Red Alert remains through early tomorrow morning for coastal flooding this morning, a midday/afternoon squall line (rain/snow), gusty winds and a dramatic temperature drop (flash freezing).
Forecast: Coastal flooding continues this morning, though many locations are around or just past their tidal peak, so conditions should gradually improve over the next few hours. A midday/afternoon squall line will bring a final burst of rain and snow to the area with little or no snow accumulation expected.
Windy conditions are expected in its wake with peak gusts of up to 50 mph. In addition to this, temperatures will fall off dramatically with feels like temps in the 30s by noon, single digits for the afternoon commute and below zero everywhere by daybreak tomorrow.
Looking Ahead: Tomorrow will be frigid and blustery with feels like temps stuck in the single digits in the afternoon. As for Christmas, it will remain very cold with wind chills only in the teens. Again, this could be our coldest Christmas since 2000 -- so about 20 years.
First Alert forecast: 8 a.m. Friday
Check your flight status
Be sure to check with your airline or airport before leaving home.
Area Airports
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Delays | Airport Website
- John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) Delays | Airport Website
- Newark Airport (EWR) Delays | Airport Website
- MacArthur Airport Website
- Teterboro Airport Website
- Westchester County Airport Website
Other helpful links
Reporting power outages
Check the following links for outages in your area:
New York
New Jersey
Connecticut
First Alert forecast: 5 a.m. Friday
NYC suspends outdoor dining
The storm caused the Department of Transportation to shut down outdoor dining in the city.
The ban will be in effect until 8 p.m. Friday.
Restaurants have been told to remove electrical heaters and to secure outdoor furniture and street sheds.
The DOT also suspended the Open Streets program and is securing barriers used to close off streets.
Coastal flooding concerns on LI
Flooded roadways for morning commute
Conditions deteriorate in parts of New Jersey
2,000 flights canceled nationwide
New Jersey state offices closed Friday
There is rain, wind and a threat of flooding ahead of the Christmas holiday.
A state of emergency goes into effect for New York and Gov. Phil Murphy announced all New Jersey state offices will be closed Friday.
The winds were getting stronger and it was getting wetter and chillier in Ridgefield, New Jersey on Thursday night. Drivers at the Vince Lombardi Service Area were rushing in to get what they need.
There was heavy traffic all along the highways. Some people told CBS2 they are changing up their plans this holiday because of the storm.
"So we hoped to skip out of town to, hopefully, not get canceled from our flight from Boston to Newark. So we decided to drive, but it took us six hours instead of four," said Tabitha Karch of Massachusetts.
"I'm actually coming home a day early. I was supposed to come home tomorrow night," said Carolyn Murphy of Philadelphia.
Winds are expected to cause power outages across the region. Con Edison and PSE&G both say they're prepared.
The utilities are reminding everyone to get everything charged now while you still have power and even recommend having a plan to stay somewhere else if you are expected to get hit hard by the storm.
Flight cancellations and delays are already mounting
The weather is threatening holiday travel plans for millions of Americans. Flight cancellations have already begun and are expected to get worse.
Thursday is one of the busiest travel days of the year, and for some it's the last chance to make it home for the holidays.
READ MORE: First Alert Weather: Red Alert for winter storm Thursday and Friday; Bitter cold for Christmas
Airlines are all hands on deck for the next few days, advising travelers who are flying out Thursday or Friday to come to the airport three, even four hours before their flight.
Gov. Murphy warns about potential power outages in New Jersey
The Tri-State Area is dealing with heavy rain and strong winds, but this storm could get a whole lot worse Thursday night into Friday.
The rain was making driving difficult during the afternoon, but it's what is expected later in the evening that has a lot of people concerned.
Gov. Phil Murphy said the Department of Transportation is pre-positioning equipment and some residents could experience power outages.
Hochul declares state of emergency
Airport officials say arrive early, don't miss flights
Travel delays are mounting and the hardest impact may be on those flying out days before Christmas as a winter storm moves into the Tri-State Area.
Airport officials are urging people to arrive early and warning them not to miss their flights - or they may not be able to get to their destinations.
Plus, AAA expects traffic on New York's busiest roads to be double the usual amount Friday as commuters mix with holiday travelers.
First Alert forecast: 12 p.m. Thursday
Best and worst times to travel
"It's going to be very busy," AAA Northeast's Senior Manager of Public Affairs Robert Sinclair Jr. told CBS2. "More than 112 million traveling, 90% of those will be driving to their destinations. Overall total is 3% from last year. Seven million will be flying, and 3.6 million will take some other form of transportation, like a cruise ship, train or a bus."
He said the worst time to travel will be early in the mornings before noon.
"No matter what day you choose to travel, if you make it earlier -- the earlier, the better -- you'll be able to avoid a lot of traffic," Sinclair said.
Friday will of course be one of the worst days to travel, particularly from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. On the backend, Dec. 27 and 28 as well as Jan. 2 will be jammed up.
If your plans are flexible, the holidays themselves - Christmas Day and New Year's Day -- should be smoother.
Watch his full interview above for more advice.
Latest track and timing
Red Alert: Heavy rain and wind are expected Thursday afternoon through early Saturday morning before arctic cold settles in for the holiday weekend. Some light snow is possible, as well.
Timeline
12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday: Rain arrives, some snow north. Moderate to heavy rain for some.
6 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday: Heavy bouts of rain, winds start to kick up after 8 p.m. Rain shuts off early Friday morning.
6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday: This is the window for potential coastal issues. We have to watch the high tide cycles for some flooding. In the same timeframe, temperatures will crash after the squall line passes. Looking like a mid-morning trek across the area with a quick hit of additional rain/snow to finish.
12 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday: Precipitation clears the east end around 2 p.m.. Then, it's all about the cold rushing in. Wind chills are potentially dangerous by Saturday morning.
Watches & Warnings
Flood Watch: Thursday night through Friday night for inland areas that will see excessive rainfall combined with snowmelt.
Coastal Flood Warning: 5 a.m. Friday through 1 a.m. Saturday for potentially major local flooding, depending on wind. One to 2 feet expected, 3 feet locally, with above ground inundation possible. The best bet is in the back bays of Queens, south-facing shores and along the Long Island Sound.
Wind Advisory: 10 p.m. Thursday through 10 p.m. Friday for wind gusts up to 55 mph. We could have power problems, as well as knock-around scattered tree limbs. The strongest winds will be from New York City and areas east. Winds are also pretty stiff from the west -- 20-30 mph through Saturday.
Snow: Some snow is likely Friday well north (Sullivan and Ulster counties early on, then the rain overwhelms). We are looking at another burst of snow as the squall line passes around mid-morning Friday, with a little accumulation possible. The bigger story here is the little burst of snow opens the door to the blast of Arctic air.
Cold/Flash Freeze: Potentially dangerous cold rushes in Friday afternoon and bottoms out Saturday morning with temperatures in the single digits and teens across the area. Factor in the wind chill and it will feel sub-zero for some of the northern zones. Temperatures will be in the 50s early Friday, before crashing by midday.
Temperature timeline:
- 6 a.m. -- 51 degrees
- 9 a.m. -- 46 degrees
- 12 p.m. -- 35 degrees
- 5 p.m. -- 28 degrees
- 11 p.m. -- 18 degrees
- 6 a.m. Saturday -- 15 degrees
Stick with the CBS2 Weather Team for the latest forecast and storm alerts.
Winter storm threatens holiday travel across U.S.
The powerful winter storm is jeopardizing travel plans for millions across the country. Around 190 million people are under some type of winter weather advisory, according to the National Weather Service.
Multiple airlines, including Delta, United and Frontier, are waiving change fees and offering travelers the option of choosing new flights to avoid the bad weather.
Southwest canceled 500 of its 4,000 scheduled flights for Thursday and Friday. American Airlines is operating in all-hands-on-deck mode to get customers to their destinations.
Travel experts urge folks to adjust their plans as early as possible, because reaching airlines over the next few days is expected to be difficult.
"Try taking advantage of alternate ways to contact the airline, aside from just calling. Many airlines now have text and Twitter lines that will be much faster," Jonathan Friedman, with Ovation Travel Group, told CBS2.
Train travelers are also bracing for issues. On Wednesday, Amtrak canceled train service on roughly 30 routes, some all the way through Christmas.
If you're driving Friday, AAA expects traffic on New York's busiest roads to be double the usual amount, as commuters mix with holiday travelers.
"You can anticipate a lot of company, and if the weather's going to be bad, makes it even worse," said Robert Sinclair Jr.
Reminder, travel experts say if an airline cancels your flight, you have the right to a full refund -- not just credits for future travel.
Bracing for bitter cold
Temperatures will fall by more than 40 degrees Friday. Wind chills will land in the single digits and lower.
As CBS2's Vanessa Murdock reports, it's time to mentally and physically prepare yourself and your home.
CLICK HERE for her full report.
Take it easy on the roads
If you're hitting the road, be sure you keep the gas tank full and have a GoKit in the trunk. Your kit should include cold weather essentials, as black ice becomes a real possibility Friday night:
- A blanket
- Extra clothes
- Antifreeze
- Shovel
- Scraper
- Kitty litter, an inexpensive way to get traction in snow and ice
We also heard from the experts about how to drive in those icy conditions.
Live radar and maps
CLICK HERE to see the very latest track of the storm.
Be prepared before the storm
Our Winter Storm Survival Guide has information about how to protect yourself, your pets and your property in the event of a storm.
CLICK HERE for everything from travel delays to power outages and more.