HUDSON COUNTY – The New York metropolitan area remains under a Tropical Storm Watch as Hurricane Earl barrels northwest through the Atlantic, expected to pass 150 miles southeast of Long Island on Friday evening, according to various sources.

Although the storm is not expected to hit the area, forecasters warn that decisions about outdoor activity should consider that its effects can be felt even several hundred miles from the storm’s center. They caution that local residents should stay tuned to weather forecasts because the probable track of the storm is only a prediction and could change. As of this morning the National Weather Service estimated a 41 percent chance of “tropical storm conditions,” which means heavy rain and possible sustained winds of from 34 to 73 mph.

Friday’s local forecast is for a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8 a.m., and mostly cloudy, with a high near 83 and winds from the east between 5 and 14 mph. The chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch are expected, mainly between 9 a.m. and 12 midnight, with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Keep up to date on Hurricane Earl by returning to our updates on Hudson Reporter.com.