Weather warning for gusty rain in New York on Saturday evening

The National Weather Service issued a report at 6:15 p.m. Saturday predicting gusty rain showers through 7 p.m. for Hamilton, Saratoga and Fulton counties.

Residents should expect wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour.

“At 6:13 p.m., Doppler radar tracked gusty showers 8 miles southwest of Sacandaga Campground, or 13 miles north of Gloversville, moving east at 35 mph,” the weather service said. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow unsecured objects.”

Places affected by the warning include Edinburg, Northville, Mayfield, Caroga Lake, Cranberry Creek, Caroga Lake Public Campground, Day Center, Northampton Beach Public Campground, Bleecker, Hope, Benson, Fairchilds Corners, Fish House, Tenantville, Sweets Crossing, Benedict, Pinnacle, Glenwild, Wiley Corners and Maple Grove.

According to the weather service: “If you are outdoors, seek shelter inside a building. If you are on or near Great Sacandaga Lake, exit the water and get inside a building or vehicle. Seek safe shelter immediately!”

Safety in heavy rain: What you need to know

Rain can make roads dangerous. Stay informed and follow these weather service tips to stay safe during heavy rain:

Be careful with fast water flow:

• During heavy rain, avoid playing near culverts or drainage ditches, as fast-flowing water there can pose a serious hazard.

Keep the safety distance:

• In heavy rain, the two-second following rule is helpful. Increase it to four seconds to ensure a safe following distance in adverse conditions.

Reduce speed and drive carefully:

• On wet roads, it is important to reduce speed. Slowly ease off the accelerator and avoid sudden braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane carefully:

• Stay in the middle lanes to minimize the risk of aquaplaning. More water can collect in the outer lanes.

Visibility is important:

• In heavy rain, turn on your headlights to improve your visibility. Watch for vehicles in your blind spot as rain-smeared windows can obscure their view.

Be careful on slippery roads:

• During the first half hour of rain, the roads are most slippery due to a mixture of rain, dirt and oil. Be especially careful during this time.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

• Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid following them too closely and overtake them quickly and safely.

Pay attention to your windshield wipers:

Overworked wiper blades can reduce visibility. If rain severely reduces your visibility, stop and wait for conditions to improve. Seek shelter in rest areas or sheltered areas. If you stop at the side of the road, keep your vehicle as far from the road as possible, ideally behind guard rails. Keep your headlights on and activate your hazard lights to warn other drivers.

In heavy rain, these precautions can go a long way to keeping you safe on the road. Remember to check weather conditions and follow the instructions of local authorities to ensure a safe journey.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service from United Robots that uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.