Weather
Albany, NY Severe Storm Alert Today: 45 MPH Gusts Possible Oct. 16
ALBANY, NY – Residents across eastern New York and western New England could face isolated severe thunderstorms Friday, October 16, as an approaching cold front brings gusty winds, afternoon showers a
By Evan Cross · 2026-10-16T10:20:24.986Z
ALBANY, NY – Residents across eastern New York and western New England could face isolated severe thunderstorms Friday, October 16, as an approaching cold front brings gusty winds, afternoon showers and the possibility of damaging wind gusts. Some storms could knock down trees and cause scattered power outages.
According to the National Weather Service in Albany, showers and a few thunderstorms are expected to develop ahead of and along the cold front Friday afternoon into early evening, with the greatest severe weather potential near and south of Interstate 90.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed portions of the region under a Marginal Risk, Level 1 of 5, while areas farther south, including the Hudson Valley near Poughkeepsie, fall within a Slight Risk, Level 2 of 5.
The primary concern is isolated damaging winds , particularly if thunderstorms become strong enough to produce severe weather.
Forecasters warn that stronger thunderstorms could bring down trees and result in scattered power outages across affected communities.
Even outside thunderstorms, southwest to west winds could gust between 30 and 40 mph across the region, with occasional gusts near 45 mph possible along west facing slopes and in the Capital Region Friday morning.
Communities around Albany, Schenectady, Hudson, Pittsfield and the surrounding Hudson Valley should monitor changing conditions throughout the day.
The National Weather Service notes that uncertainty remains regarding how widespread thunderstorms will become and how far north stronger storms may develop. Limited atmospheric instability could prevent some storms from reaching severe levels.
The greatest thunderstorm concern extends from Friday afternoon into early evening , when residents should remain alert for rapidly changing weather.
Outdoor items should be secured, and residents should consider keeping mobile devices charged in case localized outages occur.
Drivers should use caution during heavy showers and sudden wind gusts, especially on exposed highways.
Residents can monitor updated forecasts, watches and warnings at weather.gov/aly.