Parts of New York see wettest day on record as life-threatening flooding submerges subways, streets
All of New York City’s five boroughs were under Flash Flood Warnings Friday, as torrential rains flooded streets and subway stations, causing massive system-side disruptions. Impacts were especially felt in Brooklyn, where more 6 inches of rain fell.
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New York went under WATER! Scary Flooding in Brooklyn, NYC, USA
NEW YORK – Life-threatening flash flooding pummeled the New York City metro area Friday as remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia lashed the already heavily saturated region with several inches of rain in mere hours.
All of New York City’s five boroughs were placed under Flash Flood Warnings on Friday, as torrential rains flooded streets and subway stations, causing massive system-side disruptions to rail and bus services. Impacts were especially felt in Brooklyn, where nearly 7 inches of rain had fallen by midday.
“I want to say to all New Yorkers, this is time for heightened alertness and extreme caution,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned. “If you are home, stay home. If you are at work or school, shelter in place. For now, some of our subways are flooded, and it’s extremely difficult to move around the city.”
Brooklyn subway station floods amid torrential downpours in New York City
Rainwater flooded the B/Q 7th Avenue subway station in Brooklyn as torrential downpours caused flash flooding across New York City on Friday morning.
Friday is now preliminarily the wettest day on record at John F. Kenney International Airport beating Hurricane Irene’s daily record which was set back on August 14, 2011, the National Weather Service said.
Widespread rain totals of 4 to 6 inches were New York City, Long Island and Hudson Valley, with locally higher amounts in excess of 7 inches of rain. New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency across the same areas due to the extreme rainfall.
The FOX Forecast Center said rainfall rates in some storms reached more than 2 inches per hour or more. Officials in New York City said the subway system can only handle a maximum of 1 inch of rainfall per hour, and flooding may occur if it exceeds 1.5 inches – criteria easily met on Friday.
“Heavy rain will inundate transportation systems and likely cause flash flooding in some areas today,” New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said. “This means that it will be dangerous to travel, especially by car.”
Floodwater pours down a staircase inside apartment building in Washington Heights, NY
Rainwater flooded an apartment building in the Washington Heights neighborhood as torrential downpours caused flash flooding across New York City on Friday morning.
Fairfield, New Jersey police illustrated one such example of the perils of driving Friday by showing one of their officers rescuing a driver who became stranded in feet of floodwaters.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency Friday for the Garden State as areas from Manasquan to Newark saw several inches of rain.
Several water rescues had taken as of Friday afternoon, but there were no reports of any significant injuries or missing people associated with the weather event.
Water rescues underway in New Jersey as extreme rain turns Fairfield streets into raging rivers
Fairfield Police Department Corporal Steven D’Argenio is seen performing a water rescue of someone who was trapped in his car in a parking lot on Passaic Avenue in Essex County, New Jersey.
Others who ventured out onto the roads found several prominent highways and parkways closed due to floodwaters. In Brooklyn, multiple cars were stranded with water up to their windows on Prospect Expressway. The NWS reported closures along the Hutchison River Parkway, Bronx Run Parkway, Major Deegan Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, and even part of the FDR Drive due to floodwaters.
Landslides with mud were also reported by emergency management in the hillier terrain of Lower Westchester.
It wasn’t just those traveling by trains and automobiles affected by rising waters. Parking lots and ramps were flooded at LaGuardia Airport, shutting down access to Terminal A. The airport said their airport fuel farm was also unreachable due to floods.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said flights were still arriving and departing at area airports, although intermittent ground stops are likely as heavy rain continues lashing the region.
“Airport staff is continuously monitoring the runways, roadways and terminals and will immediately activate water pumps if necessary,” the FAA said. “Flooding may impact the roadways surrounding the airports and police will redirect traffic. Travelers should leave ample time when heading to the airports.”
Major flooding shuts down LaGuardia Airport terminal as heavy rain soaks NYC
Floodwaters inundated parts of New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Friday, shutting down one of its terminals until
New York Public Schools remained in session Friday and officials expressed confidence they would be able to get students home safely.
“We have been in touch with all vendors, and have not heard of major issues so far,” said New York Public Schools Press Secretary Nathaniel Styer. “We are asking bus companies to leave early for pickup, and as always, to take all safety precautions.”
The community of Valley Stream on Long Island and JFK Airport reported the highest rainfall totals with between 8-10 inches of rain in 24 hours.
Many other observation sites around New York City reported at least 7″ of rain.An entire fleet of emergency trucks, deployable pumps and other equipment are on standby for a city that depends on the rails. Bus routes, bridges and tunnels are also being monitored closely. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the subway system, has activated its 24-hour situation room. source
Flooding leaves parts of New York City underwater
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: A person tries to unclog a drain grate along a flooded Prospect Expressway after it got stuck in high water during heavy rain and flooding on September 29, 2023 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Much of the Northeast is experiencing severe flooding after heavy rains swept through the area this morning.
Heavy Rains Cause Flash Flooding In Parts Of New York City
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: Cars drive through slight flooding on Ocean Avenue amid heavy rain on September 29, 2023 in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough New York City. Flash flooding is expected in the counties of Nassau, Queens and Kings, which includes Brooklyn, according to the state’s National Weather Service office as remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia reaches the Northeast.
Heavy Rains Cause Flash Flooding In Parts Of New York City
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: A vehicle sits submerged after it got stuck in high water on the Prospect Expressway during heavy rain and flooding on September 29, 2023 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Much of the Northeast is experiencing severe flooding after heavy rains swept through the area this morning.
Subway Flooding In New York City
Ophelia’s remnants are soaking New York City and the surrounding area with heavy rain for the Friday morning commute.
Heavy Rains Cause Flash Flooding In Parts Of New York City
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: A section of the Prospect Expressway is closed during high water after heavy rain and flooding on September 29, 2023 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Much of the Northeast is experiencing severe flooding after heavy rains swept through the area this morning.
Northeast Rain
In this image taken from video, a car sits stranded in flood waters at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in New York. A potent rush-hour rainstorm has swamped the New York metropolitan area. The deluge Friday shut down swaths of the subway system, flooded some streets and highways, and cut off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport.
Northeast Rain
In this image taken from video, a section of the FDR Drive sits submerged in flood waters, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in New York. A potent rush-hour rainstorm has swamped the New York metropolitan area. The deluge Friday shut down swaths of the subway system, flooded some streets and highways, and cut off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport.
Northeast Rain
A pedestrian walks across the street in the rain on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 in New York. A potent rush-hour rainstorm swamped the New York metropolitan area on Friday, shutting down parts of the city’s subway system, flooding streets and highways, and delaying flights into LaGuardia Airport.
Northeast Rain
In this photo taken from video, traffic makes its way through flood waters along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway , Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in New York. A potent rush-hour rainstorm has swamped the New York metropolitan area. The deluge Friday shut down swaths of the subway system, flooded some streets and highways, and cut off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport.
Heavy Rains Cause Flash Flooding In Parts Of New York City
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: A car is pushed through flooded streets in the Red Hook neighborhood on September 29, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Much of the Northeast is experiencing severe flooding after heavy rains swept through the area this morning.
Heavy Rains Cause Flash Flooding In Parts Of New York City
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: Cars sit stuck in the flooded streets in the Red Hook neighborhood on September 29, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Much of the Northeast is experiencing severe flooding after heavy rains swept through the area this morning.
Heavy Rains Cause Flash Flooding In Parts Of New York City
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 29: A woman walks through the flooded streets in the Red Hook neighborhood on September 29, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Much of the Northeast is experiencing severe flooding after heavy rains swept through the area this morning.
Northeast Rain
In this photo taken from video, work in flood waters to clear drains on a street, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A potent rush-hour rainstorm has swamped the New York metropolitan area. The deluge Friday shut down swaths of the subway system, flooded some streets and highways, and cut off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport.
Northeast Rain
In this photo taken from video, a man drives a scooter through flood waters, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A potent rush-hour rainstorm has swamped the New York metropolitan area. The deluge Friday shut down swaths of the subway system, flooded some streets and highways, and cut off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport.
Northeast Rain
Residents watch as workers attempt to clear a drain in flood waters, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. A potent rush-hour rainstorm has swamped the New York metropolitan area. The deluge Friday shut down swaths of the subway system, flooded some streets and highways, and cut off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport. source
NYC flooding recap: Rain drenches tri-state area causing major flooding
What you need to know about the storm hitting the Northeast
- A flood watch covered New York City and the region until 6 a.m. Saturday, but was later canceled for all but New Haven County, Conn., and Suffolk County on Long Island.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley. Mayor Eric Adams issued a separate state of emergency for New York City.
- Subway stations flooded, and service on some lines were suspended earlier in the day. Metro-North service was also disrupted by flooding.
- As of 9:30 p.m. more than 8 inches of rain fell at JFK airport in New York City, and over 7 inches was reported in Brooklyn, according to the National Weather Service. Central Park got over 5 inches of rain, and Fordham in the Bronx saw over 6 inches.
Flood watches canceled for all but New Haven and Suffolk County
Flood watches that had been in place for the New York City and the tri-state area until tomorrow were canceled for all but part of Connecticut and Long Island late tonight, the weather service said.
How climate change is testing limits of city’s infrastructure
The storm, which hit just two years after flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida battered the five boroughs and killed at least 13 people in the city, laid bare how vulnerable the Big Apple’s aging infrastructure is to extreme weather events that are intensified by climate change. And more than a decade after Hurricane Sandy forced officials to rethink the meaning of climate resilience in New York City, it appears there’s still much to be done.
Heavy rainfall of up to 2.5 inches per hour were reported in some of the hardest-hit places. A number of roads were closed, cars were submerged and several city buses were trapped as a result of flash flooding. Subways, regional rail lines and air travel was suspended or severely delayed, and at least one school in Brooklyn was evacuated during the storm.
“The reality staring city leaders in the face, including in places like New York, is that the climate is getting more extreme, more unpredictable and requiring more investment,” said Joseph Kane, a fellow who focuses on infrastructure at the Brookings Institute, a nonprofit think tank. “Usually, it’s too little too late.”
LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal A reopened tonight after being closed earlier due to flooding, the airport said.
“All access to Terminal A is currently opened. All operations have resumed normal,” the airport said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The terminal had been closed earlier today due to floods from heavy rains that struck New York City and the region. LaGuardia got 4.87 inches of rain as of 5 p.m.
On the ground, more of the Metro-North commuter railroad system reopened after being closed in New York City due to flooding. The New Haven line resumed service after flooding was cleared in The Bronx, and the Harlem line reopened in some sections.
All three lines are now running, Metro-North said.