New Yorkers after days of heavy – “`html
New Yorkers After Days of Heavy Smoke Face Flash Flooding
New Yorkers after days of heavy smoke and scorching heat finally got relief from the weather ordeal, but it came in the form of dramatic thunderstorms and widespread flash flooding across the metropolitan area. The storm system unleashed two to four inches of rain by early Saturday afternoon, with meteorologists predicting up to an inch of precipitation per hour in some zones. The National Weather Service has extended a flood watch covering all five boroughs of New York City, southern portions of Westchester County, and northeastern New Jersey through 2 a.m. Sunday.
Emergency officials warned that the flooding could prove locally significant, potentially causing transportation disruptions, basement inundation, and necessitating water rescues throughout the region. The heaviest rainfall concentrated in lower Manhattan and western sections of Brooklyn and Queens, according to city emergency management authorities. Basement apartment residents received urgent instructions to relocate to higher floors as precautionary measures.
Storm Impact on Transportation and Daily Life
“This storm event is not over, and the mayor continues to urge residents and visitors to our city to remain vigilant and stay safe,” Jeremy Edwards, spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, stated Saturday afternoon. The weather disruption extended to professional sports, as Saturday’s Yankees-Dodgers matchup in the Bronx was rescheduled and will now be played Sunday as part of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, according to an MLB news release.
“This storm event is not over, and the mayor continues to urge residents and visitors to our city to remain vigilant and stay safe,” Jeremy Edwards, a spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani, said Saturday afternoon.
Video footage captured dramatic scenes of multiple submerged vehicles on a roadway above the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, with two men standing in front of a white truck’s windshield. Another individual was observed wading through waist-deep water. Several sidewalks were transformed into murky streams as rainwater accumulated across the urban landscape.
Additional video from Woodside, Queens, revealed streets submerged under several feet of water. The intense downpours contributed to significant flight delays and cancellations at LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Newark airports on the eve of the World Cup final match scheduled for Sunday in New Jersey. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, some arriving flights at Kennedy Airport experienced delays averaging an hour and 35 minutes.
Regional Effects and Recovery Outlook
Torrential rains also battered New Jersey, where flash flood warnings were issued for multiple counties. In Newark, police and firefighters responded to emergency calls reporting five cars trapped in heavy waters, successfully rescuing all drivers and passengers with no reported injuries, according to Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda. New York Governor Kathy Hochul cautioned residents about potential power outages, downed trees, and road closures throughout the state.
“I remind everyone to take this weather seriously,” Hochul said in a statement Friday.
The severe weather arrived as Northeast residents continued breathing dangerous air quality caused by thick, choking plumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires. Government data indicated nearly 1,000 active fires burning across Canada as of Saturday. Meteorologists anticipate that rain, shifting winds, and an approaching cold front will eventually help clear the smoke, though air quality improvements may not occur uniformly across all areas immediately.
The city’s subway system experienced service disruptions at several locations after water poured onto the tracks, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. As anticipated, the weather created significant havoc on roadways throughout the region. All lanes of the Long Island Expressway at 188th Street were blocked in both directions due to flooding for approximately two hours in the early afternoon before reopening, according to the New York City Police Department. The Clearview Expressway at Northern Boulevard also experienced complete lane closures in both directions for a brief period.
Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms are expected to continue inundating the area through Saturday evening, potentially worsening flooding conditions and bringing damaging winds and possible tornadoes, the weather service reported. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN’s Dalia Faheid and Graham Hurley contributed to this report.
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