Storm to hit New York hard as locals told to start preparing for 'lashing' rain and thunder

After a bit of sunshine, New York braces itself for another wet week with a chance of thunderstorms breaking out.

The sunshine is over in New York, and the state is set for another gray week of weather, with a chance of storms breaking out throughout.

Steady rain will move in overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, so residents should brace themselves for a wet morning. The wettest day of the week looks to be Wednesday, so make sure you pack your wellies if you’re venturing out.

Scattered showers will remain a possibility as we move through the week, and there’s a chance that we could see some storms.

What’s the forecast for the rest of the week?

While rain persists through Friday evening into Saturday, there remains a chance of isolated thunder from some of the heavier downpours.

According to the National Weather Service, the winds are not expected to be too high and are predicted to remain at 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. The gusts will be particularly strong on Wednesday, and this is when we’re expecting the most amount of rain.

The weather will remain unsettled through to Saturday when we could see another healthy dose of rain. Out of every day this week, Sunday looks to be the best bet for a drier and sunnier day.

How much rain will fall on Tuesday night?

The amount of rainfall on Tuesday night through Thursday is likely to be around 1 to 1 ½-inches locally within the 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service.

The rain that’s expected to come late Friday through Saturday night is part of an entirely separate storm system and is too early to predict at the moment.

Overall, showers are set to be on and off throughout the week, so residents should refrain from making too many outdoor plans.

How should residents prepare?

While there are no weather alerts issued for this week as of yet, it’s good to prepare for what’s looking to be another wet week.

New Yorkers should make sure they have plenty of waterproof gear to wear when venturing out throughout the week, including umbrellas, anoraks, and rain boots.

It’s also a good idea to prepare your basements and any areas of your property that are prone to flooding with sandbags - especially on Tuesday night.

Why does it rain so much in New York?

One of the reasons for the persistent wet weather in the state is climate change, which will cause more frequent and intense rainfall in both coastal and inland areas. These extreme rainfall events are sometimes called “cloudbursts,” and they occur when a large amount of rain falls in a short period.