NYC weather: Rain on tap for city as Hurricane Michael threatens Florida

Oct. 10--New Yorkers can expect showers and possibly thunderstorms on Thursday, as another hurricane threatens the East Coast further south.

Rain will likely begin early Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Between a half and three-quarters of an inch of rain is expected.

Hurricane Michael, meanwhile, became a Category 4 storm Wednesday and was due to hit Florida's Gulf shore.

The storm was packing winds of up to 140 mph and could unleash devastating waves as high as 13 feet, the National Hurricane Center warned.

"THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to evacuate before conditions start deteriorating within the next few hours," said Florida Gov. Rick Scott in a Tweet early on Wednesday.

Some of the storm's most significant early impact was to offshore energy production. U.S. producers in the Gulf cut oil production by about 40 percent and natural gas output by 28 percent on Tuesday, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said.

President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Florida, freeing up federal assistance to supplement state and local disaster responses.

After making landfall in Florida, Hurricane Michael is expected to travel northeast toward the Carolinas, where residents are still recovering from Hurricane Florence. The storm is projected to veer out toward the Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia on Friday, according to the NHC.

New York City could be clipped by the remnants of the hurricane. While Friday is expected to be sunny, there is a 30 percent chance of rain throughout the day on Saturday.

With Reuters

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