STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A strong cold front will sweep through Staten Island late Friday morning, bringing strong to locally damaging winds up to 45 mph and moderate to heavy rainfall, along with possible isolated thunderstorms.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for the area until midnight Friday.
According to the National Weather Service, rain has already begun in some locations and will increase in coverage through the morning hours. The heaviest rainfall is expected an hour or two after sunrise, potentially impacting the morning commute. Areas of minor and poor drainage flooding are anticipated as rainfall totals reach three-quarters to one and one-third inches, with locally higher amounts possible.
Temperatures will reach the mid to upper 50s Friday morning, approaching record highs for the date, before falling steadily through the afternoon. By Friday evening, temperatures will drop rapidly, falling into the 20s overnight. The Weather Service warns that any remaining moisture on roads and surfaces may freeze if drying does not occur before temperatures fall below freezing.
Wind gusts of 35-45 mph are expected during the cold front passage between 10 a.m. and noon, with isolated gusts potentially reaching 50 mph, especially in coastal areas. Winds will decrease slightly after the frontal passage as they shift to the west, but will increase again late Friday afternoon into the evening with sustained winds around 15-25 mph and gusts of 35-40 mph.
Staten Island’s vulnerable coastal areas may experience minor coastal flooding during Friday morning’s high tide cycle. The combination of high winds, wave action, and heavy rainfall could exacerbate flooding impacts in low-lying areas.
The weekend forecast shows mainly dry conditions, though winds will remain gusty. Saturday will see high temperatures just below normal with winds gradually diminishing. Another cold front will push through early Sunday with a secondary cold front Sunday night, keeping winds quite gusty from the west/northwest with gusts up to 30 mph.
A frigid airmass moves in for Monday with high temperatures only in the low 30s degrees. Precipitation returns to the forecast on Tuesday, possibly beginning as snow before transitioning to a rain/snow mix and eventually light rain as temperatures rise.
Christmas Day may bring another weak weather system, though the Weather Service notes that forecast guidance is too variable at this time to provide specific details.
A draft of this story was generated using AI. It was reviewed, edited and approved by Advance/SILive.com staff.