As Santa brings toys to all the boy and girls in central New York, Mother Nature is bringing heavy rain, flooding, drastic temperatures changes, black ice and windy conditions for Christmas.

A Flood Watch is in effect from Thursday afternoon through Christmas morning for Herkimer, Madison and Oneida counties.

Rain begins Thursday and will become heavy at times this afternoon through tonight. Warm temperatures will lead to significant snow melt. A combination of snow melt and 1 to 3 inches of rainfall could cause urban and flash flooding. Flows in rivers may increase quickly and rise above flood stage.

Total rainfall is expected to be a widespread 1.5 to 3″ with localized amounts up to 4″ in the Poconos, Catskills and Alleghany Plateau.

Photo Credit - Noaa.gov
Photo Credit - Noaa.gov
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15 to 25 mph winds are expected through Thursday. The strongest winds will be late Thursday into Thursday night with gusts of 35 to 45 mph in the high terrain east of I-81.

Small branches may be snapped and loose outdoor objects blown around. Scattered power outages
are also possible

Photo Credit - Noaa.gov
Photo Credit - Noaa.gov
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Temperatures hold steady in the 40s & 50s on Christmas Eve then fall into the 20s Christmas Day, which could cause black ice on the roads.

Photo Credit - Noaa.gov
Photo Credit - Noaa.gov
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Christmas Eve Day: Rain, mainly after 9am. Patchy fog after 1pm. High near 50. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Christmas Eve: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Patchy fog. Low around 44. Southeast wind 14 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Christmas Day: Rain before noon, then rain and snow showers likely between noon and 2pm, then a chance of snow showers after 2pm. Patchy fog between 9am and noon. High near 47. West wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

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