Wind Advisory In Effect As Gusts Blast At Up To 50 MPH

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Flags have been whipping about loudly and violently across New York City Saturday, and traffic lights have been swaying on their poles, as winds with gusts of up to 50 mph blast through the area.

A wind advisory was placed into effect until 8 p.m. Saturday for virtually all of the Tri-State Area.

The National Weather Service said to expect sustained west winds of 25 to 35 mph, gusting up to 50 mph. The winds were expected to peak in the early afternoon, CBS 2 Meteorologist Vanessa Murdock said.

The NWS warns that the blasting winds could take down a few trees and tree limbs, as well as power lines and holiday decorations. Driving may also be difficult – particularly on bridges and elevated roadways.

The reason for the wind blast is a vast area of low pressure to the north, which is exiting to the northeast and pumping up the wind. The low-pressure system could also bring precipitation in the form of rain or wet snow, Murdock reported.

The forecast high for the day is 41 degrees, with a 20 percent chance of precipitation and wind chills making it feel like the 20s.

Overnight lows drop to the lower 30s and even upper 20s, with wind chills as low as the teens.

On Sunday, the temperature is expected to rise to 43 with greater sunshine, followed by a sunny Christmas Eve with a high of 38 degrees, and an overnight precipitation event that Murdock says could give the entire area a coating of snow by Christmas Day.

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