AccuWeather Alert: Severe thunderstorm warnings, watches issued

AccuWeather forecast for NYC, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

NEW YORK (WABC) -- We will be keeping a close eye on the radar through the evening, with a Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe weather in place across the area.

Severe Thunderstorm watches have been issued for New York City and most of the Tri-State, while warnings have been issued for portions of the region, including Long Island, and parts of New Jersey.

Click here for the latest advisories, watches and warnings from the National Weather Service

The primary threats are damaging winds and heavy downpours, raising concerns about a repeat of the storm damage that affected parts of New Jersey Friday night.

The Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks show start time was moved up to 9:02 p.m. due to the storm threat, giving the celebration a narrow window to avoid the impacts of the storm.

By around 9:30 p.m., large thunderstorms were positioned both north and west of the city, and are expected to gradually spread across New York City and Long Island later in the evening.

Relief from the heat arrives on Sunday as much cooler air moves into the region. High temperatures are expected to reach only the lower 80s, aided by easterly winds flowing in from the cooler waters of the Atlantic Ocean. While an afternoon shower or thunderstorm is possible, the greatest chance will be west of New York City.

The weather pattern turns more unsettled Sunday night as showers and thunderstorms redevelop across the area. While severe weather is not expected, forecasters are concerned about the potential for heavy rain. Rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches are possible in some locations from late Sunday through Monday, which could lead to localized flooding despite ongoing drought conditions across much of the region. Wet weather may persist through Monday night and even into early Tuesday before conditions begin to improve.

The unsettled pattern lingers into Tuesday with clouds, humidity, and a chance of showers, while temperatures remain unusually cool in the mid-70s. After that, the weather improves. Wednesday will bring breaks of sunshine and temperatures around 82 degrees before readings climb back into the upper 80s later in the week. While temperatures will not approach the extreme heat experienced recently, humidity will increase, and another chance of thunderstorms may return by Friday into Saturday.