Sunny Skies Tease NYC Before Late-Day Thunderstorms Crash the Party

New York City is starting Monday with clear skies, mild temperatures around 69°F and plenty of sunshine on the way to a high near 82°F. The catch for outdoor plans comes later, as shower and thunderstorm chances rise during the afternoon and early evening.

Afternoon Winds Pick Up As Storm Chances Rise

According to the National Weather Service, a slight chance of showers arrives between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday, followed by a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Southwest winds will run 6 to 10 mph, with gusts reaching up to 22 mph.

Any storms should be isolated to widely scattered, but a quick downpour or brief gusty wind could still interrupt a commute, park visit or outdoor meal. Rain chances fade after about 8 p.m., with mostly clear skies and a low near 67°F overnight.

Tuesday And Wednesday Keep Things Mostly Easy

Tuesday looks mostly sunny with a high near 81°F, although a slight chance of rain showers returns after 2 p.m. Wednesday brings the week's cleanest forecast so far, with sunny skies, a high near 81°F and no rain currently expected.

Wettest Stretch Arrives Thursday Into Friday

The forecast turns more unsettled Thursday and Friday, when shower and thunderstorm chances rise to around 50% each day. Thursday should reach about 80°F, while Friday warms to 83°F, with humidity potentially making it feel closer to the upper 80s or near 90 in parts of the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Saturday offers a mostly sunny reset near 83°F, while Sunday stays mostly sunny near 82°F with a slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. In other words, the week has a brief sunny middle before the atmosphere gets busy again.

Moderate Rip-Current Risk At Ocean Beaches

Ocean beaches in New York City and Long Island face a moderate rip-current risk Monday and Tuesday, with waves around 2 to 3 feet Monday and near 2 feet Tuesday. Swimmers should stay near lifeguards, follow posted beach flags and avoid treating relatively calm-looking surf as harmless; no watches, warnings or advisories are currently posted.