June 29, 2012 Morning Update

5:50 AM: Morning Storms, Afternoon Heat

When last night's update was made, a small severe thunderstorm popped up near western PA. Throughout the overnight hours, this storm intensified and became more widespread, moving into SE Pennsylvania while producing strong to severe thunderstorms. While this area of storms was approaching SE PA and southern NJ, a small area of heavy thunderstorms popped up to its northeast, near SE NY/NE NJ, and moved SE through New York City. These storms are below severe levels, although they are still capable of producing frequent lightning and heavy rain.

The morning storm development doesn't change the heat outlook for this afternoon; if anything, it could be a bit hotter than previously thought, with cloudy skies becoming mainly sunny later this morning and highs peaking in the mid to upper 90s inland, upper 90s in the immediate NYC area with low 100s in some areas west/SW of NYC and mid 90s closer to the coast, and upper 80s to lower 90s for most of Long Island/S CT, slightly cooler closer to the coast and hotter closer to NYC. Additional storms, possibly strong/severe, are possible in parts of the region for Saturday and Sunday in the evening/night hours, especially on Saturday night when some models indicate the potential for an MCS to move through, before temperatures cool back down into the 80s for highs by Monday.