Weather advisory - Heavy rain + wind

[Guest hoss]

Special Weather Statement

NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN- NORTHERN MIDDLESEX- NORTHERN NEW LONDON-SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN- SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON-WESTERN PASSAIC-BERGEN- EASTERN PASSAIC-ESSEX-HUDSON-UNION-ORANGE- PUTNAM-ROCKLAND- NORTHERN WESTCHESTER- SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)- BRONX-RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-KINGS (BROOKLYN)-QUEENS- NASSAU- NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK- NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK- SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-

538 AM EDT FRI APR 21 2006

...A SOAKING WEEKEND RAINFALL EXPECTED...

A COMPLEX WEATHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND WIND...AND THE CONCERN FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING.

A DEEP UPPER LOW OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM STRETCHING FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TO TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY WILL SLOWLY MOVE TOWARDS THE AREA TONIGHT.

RAIN WILL DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA LATE TONIGHT AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM...

SPREADING EAST ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE REGION THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE MOVES NORTHWARD THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE GREAT LAKES.

A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM THIS LOW WILL THEN MOVE TOWARDS THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT...

WITH A SECOND WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING ALONG IT AND MOVING UP THE COAST. THIS WILL ENHANCE THE RAINFALL FROM SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY...

WITH RAIN FALLING HEAVY AT TIMES AND EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH POSSIBLE. THESE WINDS WILL ACT TO PILE UP WATER ALONG COASTAL LOCATIONS...

WHICH WILL PRESENT A THREAT OF MINOR COASTAL FLOODING SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY... PARTICULARLY IN WESTERN LONG ISLAND SOUND...THE SOUTH SHORE BACK BAYS... AND NEW YORK HARBOR.

CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE SUNDAY NIGHT AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO NEW ENGLAND.

GENERALLY 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN WITH LOCAL HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA BY SUNDAY NIGHT.

SINCE THE REGION HAS BEEN QUITE DRY OF LATE...WITH WELL BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF...THE LARGER RIVER AND STREAMS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THESE RAIN AMOUNTS.

THE CONCERN WILL BE MORE FOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING...PARTICULARLY ON SUNDAY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SITUATION CLOSELY.