Summer heat hits the tri-state, bringing summer storms along with it over the weekend

Summer has arrived! This week has finally delivered a combination of sunshine, heat and a touch of humidity so that our weather syncs with the calendar.

But summer is also storm season, and up until Friday they were conspicuously absent. That changed as we head into the weekend.

Summer temperatures blanketed the tri-state on Friday. The heat and an approaching cold front sparked afternoon and evening storms, primarily north and northwest of New York City – in the Hudson Valley, Connecticut and North Jersey.

For those in our northernmost counties, plan on heavy downpours during the evening commute. In the areas where the heaviest rain sets up, especially in Sullivan and Ulster County, ponding on low-lying roads and isolated flash flooding is possible.

Along with the excessive rain, isolated storms could become severe Friday night. The primary threat is damaging wind gusts of 60 mph an hour or higher, which could knock down tree limbs.

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On Saturday, another wave of showers and storms will move through. These will be more widespread.

The first round of rain could move through early to mid-morning. Closer to lunch time, the rain should become more consistent.

Plan for a wet afternoon, with showers and pockets of heavy downpours. It won’t be an all-afternoon rain, but the potential exists at any time.

If you’re planning to take part in the Pokémon Go Fest on Saturday, you’ll want the umbrella or a rain jacket to keep yourself dry. And make sure you have a safe spot to head to if a storm rolls through during the event.

Rain chances will drop Saturday evening, leaving drier skies for Sunday, which is definitely the better half of the weekend weather-wise. Most of the day will be dry with temperatures in the mid 70s with lower humidity. There could be a stray sprinkle or light rain shower Sunday afternoon or evening, but nothing to ruin outdoor plans.

This is great news for the Puerto Rican Day Parade, which we expect to be dry and mild. Skies will be mostly cloudy, so sunglasses won’t be a must-have accessory, but T-shirts and shorts will make a good outfit.

Any showers that pop up on Sunday will happen late in the day or in the evening. They will carry into early on Monday. They won’t be high-impact, but may be enough to warrant a small umbrella in your bag.

And while Monday manages to dry out quickly, we’re already tracking more showers and storms for Tuesday. But this will mark the end of our unsettled stretch of weather.

The second half of next week is looking largely dry and we’ll even see another run of summery temperatures as highs once again approach the upper 80s by next Friday.