It’s a damp and dreary Sunday in New York City as rain showers and the occasional thunderstorm move through.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for much of the region that is in effect until noon. A pair of flash flood warnings, one in North Jersey and one in Southern Connecticut, were in effect through 10 a.m.
James Tomasini, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s New York office, said rainfall totals between 1-2 inches are expected, with up to 3 inches in some areas.
The rain began in the early hours Sunday morning. The weather is being driven by a warm front blowing in from the south.
“ All this activity is kind of right out ahead of it. That will shift kind of through the area and east of the area,” Tomasini said. “Expecting the heaviest rain to really be done sometime around noon, and then a gradual clearing into the afternoon.”
Tomasini said some flooding had already been reported in North Jersey.
New York City authorities urged residents to prepare for possible flooding, especially people in basement apartments or flood-prone areas.
Work crews were out ahead of the storm clearing catch basins, and authorities opened dozens of overnight shelters to take in people who were concerned about flooding in their homes.