Powerful coastal rain storm to hit NYC, Tri-State area Sunday and Monday; flooding risk seen

NEW YORK (WABC) — A powerful coastal storm that will first hit Florida and other Southern states will work its way up the East Coast toward the Tri-State area, where it will drop heavy rain and strong winds for the second half of this weekend.

It will be the second weekend in a row where a powerful storm will lash the region.

The low-pressure system will race up to the north by Sunday afternoon and will deliver 1.5 to 3 inches of rain before it’s all done. Unlike last week’s storm, the Monday morning commute could be more complicated, with heavy rain still falling.

Alerts are already posted for much of the Tri-State area for Sunday night into Monday morning. There is a Flood Watch for most of New Jersey, a Wind Advisory in Fairfield County into Westchester and a High Wind Watch for Long Island and coastal Connecticut.

Meteorologist Brittany Bell helps to break down the details of the storm and what you can expect.

Timing

The first half of Sunday will be mostly dry and mostly cloudy with drizzle possible south of New York City. By afternoon, scattered showers develop turning more widespread Sunday night. The heaviest rain falls overnight Sunday into early Monday, impacting the morning commute. Expected rain totals range between 1.5 and 3 inches with isolated areas surpassing 4 inches of rain.

What can people expect?

The Monday morning commute will be messy for most. Flooding is possible, including ponding on roads, streets and highways with the potential for coastal flooding. Gusty wind 40-50 mph can lead to wind damage and isolated power outages. Gusts near the immediate coast could peak 50-60 mph.