Winter storm reported for Northeast, flood watch declared for Rockland County

A flood watch has been declared for areas across the Northeast from Tuesday morning to Tuesday night, with heavy rains and possible snow expected in Rockland from Tuesday into Wednesday.

The coastal storm is expected to drift in from the west, hitting six states in the Northeast and creating a strong likelihood for snow in most of Upstate New York and parts of Northern Pennsylvania from Tuesday through Thursday. The strongest part of the storm is expected to form in the Catskill region, which is expected to see 18 to 24 inches of snowfall.

However, the Hudson Valley and other coastal regions of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will be spared icy conditions due to a low pressure system which is expected to stall off the Mid-Atlantic coast on Monday night and bump temperatures up into the high thirties.

Instead, the brunt of a rainstorm is expected on Tuesday. Conditions are expected to be at their worst on Tuesday, when one to two inches of rain and 20 to 30 mph winds could pummel the region.

The National Weather Service reported in a Monday release that the most impacted locations will likely be urban areas or areas with poor drainage. A warning was released that some small rivers and streams in Northern New Jersey and the Lower Hudson Valley could reach or exceed their capacity.

The rain will likely become more intermittent on Wednesday, with winds dropping down to 10 to 15 mph and chance of rain dropping from 100 to 60 percent. Some wintery mix might appear from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning and winds will likely remain strong before a relatively calm, overcast Friday with a low 20 percent chance of light snow.