What to Know
- Record-high temperatures were reached in New York City and Newark saw record-high temperatures on Friday, with Central Park hitting 80 degrees by the early afternoon by 1 p.m., Storm Team 4 says; later wind gusts could reach 40-50 mph
- Strong winds picked up later in the afternoon and continued into the evening, with some gusts around 50 mph
- After what should be a pleasant Saturday, rain returns Sunday, with another inch or so possible as temperatures drop back to low 60s
Is Spring finally here? Or will the weather from Friday and Saturday just be a tease?
Temperatures on Friday hit 80 degrees by 1 p.m. Friday for parts of New York City and Newark — breaking records set nearly 100 years ago.
Central Park beat a 1922 record of 76 degrees, hitting 77 as of 1 p.m. and later rising to just touch 80 degrees. Newark's previous record for the day was 73 degrees in 1986; the city reached 80 degrees by the early afternoon.
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But the warm temperatures were quickly replaced by damaging winds around 50 mph that whipped across the region. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory through Friday night. Unsecure objects could be thrown around by the strong gusts, tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages are possible.
The canopy of an outdoor dining setup in the Upper West Side tumbled over into the roadway amid the afternoon wind gusts, while officials in New Jersey reported downed utility poles and trees in South Brunswick.
Local
A massive tree fell on top of several parked cars in Kew Gardens, Queens, the Parks Department said. No injuries were reported, but one of the cars damaged was a Mercedes purchased just three days ago, the department said. Most of the cars impacted were parked, although one moving vehicle sustained damage as well.
Scattered showers and the possibly of a few thunderstorms were expected through Friday morning, according Storm Team 4. The isolated storms, stemming from the same storm system that has caused severe weather in the southeastern U.S., threatened to pop up throughout the region before clearing out by the afternoon for sun.
The winds calm down and temperatures wont' climb as high Saturday, but it will be a quick break from the much-needed showers, making for a very pleasant day in the mid 60s.
Rain returns on Sunday, with another inch or so possible, as temperatures drop back to low 60s.
