NY State Weather Risk Communication Center

The State Weather Risk Communication Center at @UAlbany is a partnership with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

We finished our first ever SWRCC newsletter! Click the link to learn all about our center and what we've been up to these past 2 years! https://t.co/FWnSUeOYFU

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

Flooding in southern #Queens and southern #Brooklyn last night was caused by heavy rainfall, with portions of this area experiencing over 2" in one hour. The sewer capacity is generally 1.5-1.75"/h in this area.

Some locations reported as much as .5" of rain in just 5 minutes!

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

Severe thunderstorms with heavy rain is likely producing flooding in portions of #NYC including southern Brooklyn and/or Queens. @nysmesonet rainfall observations indicate rainfall as high as 2.06" has been observed in 1 hour, with numerous areas exceeding local sewer capacity.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

Mid-summer heat has made an early appearance in #NYC, with temperatures in Staten Island, Manhattan, the Bronx, and portions of Brooklyn/Queens in the mid-90s. For some along the south shores of Brooklyn/Queens, a seabreeze is keeping temperatures more comfortable. #nycwx

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

[light-hearted post]

Similarly, many people ask us how to pronounce SWRCC. The answer is ... that there is no agreed-upon answer.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

Today marks the first day of 2026 that a @nysmesonet site has reached >= 90F, and tomorrow looks just as warm. Approximately 1/3 NYers are under a "Major" risk-level in the NWS HeatRisk product. Early season heat often feels worse because our bodies have not yet acclimated to it.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

The #NYSMesonet is currently showing a 40ºF temperature contrast from northern NY to NYC! Are you running your AC or your heat today? 🤔

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

About 3.5 million people are under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 10PM this evening. Current radar shows a line of storms moving west to east across the state. Storms may reduce visibility, contain lightning, hail, and/or damaging wind gusts.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

@therobdale To our knowledge, there has been no such research on that topic in NY. I suspect the sample size would be exceedingly low, such that statistically significant conclusions would be difficult. Still, sounds like a great project!

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

We estimate there are currently about ~5000 New Yorkers in the perilous position of being within a tornado warning and within a flash flood warning.

We calculate this using the community stats tool on our website, & selecting the polygon where both occur: https://t.co/rTouDy9in3

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

It's been busy lately! Here's a map of all @NWS-issued tornado, severe thunderstorm, and flood-themed warnings over the last day or so.

Also shown are hail, severe wind, and flood reports. Those may change as more reports or NWS surveys filter in. #nywx

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

@SnarkyEM We also use USA Structures and USGS National Structures datasets to extract non-population statistics as well! They're just off the screenshot, however.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

These two maps may look very similar, but they're highlighting two different hazards:

The map on the left shows the @NWS risk of severe thunderstorms today, which is highest in western/central NY. The right map shows the risk of flash flooding, also highest in western NY.

[NYS Div. of Homeland Security & Emergency Services @NYSDHSES]

Rain is impacting the state today with isolated thunderstorms moving eastward across the state this afternoon & evening.

🌧️ Localized rain totals may reach 2.50–4”. Flash flooding is possible.
🧊 0.30” of isolated ice is possible in Northern NY.
🌬️ 30–45 mph winds are likely.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

Happy first day of spring, New York! 🌷 Though it seemed like a brutally cold winter, it was actually only slightly below-average compared to a 30-years of data. While the end of March is forecasted to be below normal, a shift to above normal temperatures is possible in April. ☀️

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

This afternoon, areas of NY saw 80F temperatures for the first time since last fall! The last 80F values across the @nysmesonet occurred on October 19th when Louisville reached 81F.

In #NYC, Central Park appears to have reached their earliest 80F+ high on record.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

With melting snow and ice, alongside some rain and warming temperatures, we're seeing numerous river rises leading to some flooding.

Did you know our website has a community page (https://t.co/rTouDy9in3)?

There's ~168K people & ~63K residential buildings in a flood warning.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

@KimWyzykowski @wnywxguy Yes! They are all stored by NCEI, here: https://t.co/0pQFVhgi3l

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

Wondering if the snowfall reports are record breaking? We got you!

For the hardest hit counties, here's a list of the prior 1-day record, as well as the max snowfall report in each county today.

4 (!) counties have tentatively set records, though they will be investigated.

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

Our director, Nick Bassill, was happy to chat with Aylin Woodward at the WSJ about our nor'easter, which will be remembered for a long time.

[The Wall Street Journal @WSJ]

The recent bout of snow and wind beguiling the East Coast fits all the definitions: It’s a nor’easter, blizzard and bomb cyclone wrapped up in one. ❄️ https://t.co/KM9PG3XV2v

[NY State Weather Risk Communication Center @NYSWRCC]

As we approach the onset of heavier snow, let's take stock of the forecast.

The most severe impacts are expected across downstate NY, where the Winter Storm Severity Index is at a very rare "extreme" level. This is due to a forecast of 18"+ of snow and 50+ mph wind gusts.