Torrential rains caused flooding that closed roads, disrupted subway service, and overwhelmed basements in the city and suburbs of New York, as “dangerous and life-threatening” rains fell (29).
Rain equivalent to a month – over 10 centimeters – fell on parts of Brooklyn in just three hours. Intense rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were falling across the region.
• New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island, and Hudson Valley;
• The National Weather Service warned that more than 20 centimeters of rain could fall in the region;
• “Water on the tracks” suspended subway and train service on several lines;
• The weather forced the closure of a terminal at LaGuardia International Airport as flight delays increased;
• 8.5 million people were under flood alerts in New York City.
One Month of Rain in Three Hours
• In Brooklyn: Rain equivalent to a month, of up to 4.5 inches, fell in just 3 hours, according to data from the National Weather Service. This total of rain in three hours is expected only once every 100 years in Brooklyn, according to NOAA estimates.
• In Manhattan: Nearly 5 centimeters of rain fell in one hour in Central Park, marking the rainiest one-hour period in the last 80 years. More than 12 centimeters of rain had fallen by early Friday afternoon.
• In Queens: Friday was one of the 10 rainiest days at John F. Kennedy International Airport, where more than 10 centimeters of rain had fallen since midnight.
Source: CNN