NYC Weather Alert: Sudden Thunderstorms and 25°F Temperature Drop—Your Hour-by-Hour Forecast

After a week of spring extremes, NYC weather is flipping the script again today, Friday, with Central Park aiming for a balmy 79 °F—about 14 degrees above the typical April high of 65 °F. Morning sun will give way to scattered showers and a few pop-up thunderstorms after 2 p.m.; the National Weather Service pegs the rain chance at 30 percent and keeps winds light out of the north around 6 mph. Tonight stays mild and mostly cloudy with a low near 59 °F—still warmer than a typical April day’s high. If you’re heading out for Friday evening plans, keep an umbrella handy but expect most showers to end before midnight. Weekend forecast at a glance • Saturday: Sunshine returns, highs near 68 °F. Sea-breeze-driven southeast winds (5-8 mph) will make coastal neighborhoods feel a few degrees cooler. Outdoor brunches and cherry-blossom walks in Central Park should be picture-perfect. • Saturday night: Clouds thicken late with a 40 percent chance of pre-dawn showers. Low around 53 °F. • Sunday: A potent front crashes the spring party. Expect periods of rain, embedded thunderstorms, and a raw northwest breeze gusting to 23 mph. Temperatures tumble, topping out near 59 °F before sliding into the low 40s Sunday night. Early-week chill Behind the front, Monday stays crisp—high 52 °F, low 36 °F—before slow warming returns by Wednesday (upper 60s). Gardeners should watch for patchy frost in outlying suburbs Monday night. What’s driving the swing? A fast-moving jet-stream wave is pumping Gulf moisture into the Tri-State today, then dragging a Canadian air mass southward late Sunday. The clash delivers today’s sticky warmth and Sunday’s soaking cooldown. Travel and event impacts • Airports: Low thunder risk may prompt brief ground holds this afternoon; Sunday’s steady rain could mean longer delays. • Yankees vs. Rays (1:05 p.m. Saturday, Bronx): Dry skies and mid-60s—ideal baseball weather. • NYC Marathon long-run training groups Sunday morning: Plan waterproof layers and watch for slick roads. Seasonal tips 1. Allergy alert: Oak and birch pollen peak on dry Saturday; rain Sunday will provide temporary relief. 2. Wardrobe shuffle: Short sleeves today, hoodies by Monday—layer up to dodge spring’s mood swings. 3. Storm drains: Clear curbside debris before Sunday to reduce street flooding. Bottom line: Enjoy Friday’s near-summer warmth and Saturday’s classic spring sunshine, but don’t let Sunday’s soaking surprise you. Keep “NYC weather” bookmarked and check real-time radar before weekend plans; the next big swing is only a front away.