Freeze watch and 60-mph storms whip New York into first big cold snap

The National Weather Service put parts of the Tri-State area under a freeze watch for Saturday night into Sunday morning as the first serious cold front of the season sweeps through New York. Temperatures that reached near 80°F on Thursday are forecast to tumble more than 20 degrees in 24 hours, with Saturday highs only in the mid-50s and overnight lows in the high 30s. Before that cooldown, a line of severe thunderstorms is expected Friday evening between about 6 and 9 p.m., with the western parts of the city facing the highest risk and gusts of 40 to 60 mph that could snap tree branches. NWS meteorologist John Murray called damaging winds the main threat. NYC Emergency Management urged residents to take precautions after dark. Sunday should turn sunny with highs in the upper 50s, and next week warms back into the mid-60s. Both Gothamist and ABC7 led coverage with the whiplash weather story on October 17.