Unprecedented levels of rainfall engulfed New York City, unleashing flash floods that wreaked havoc on Friday. This deluge disrupted vital transit systems, inundated ground-floor apartments, and rendered certain streets resembling miniature lakes. Furthermore, the extensive flooding necessitated the temporary closure of a terminal at LaGuardia Airport, marking one of the city's wettest days in decades.
The climatic onslaught extended its reach to John F. Kennedy International Airport, where a staggering 7.97 inches of rain poured down, setting a new daily record dating back to 1948 when comprehensive weather data was initially collected, as reported by Fox Weather.
The ramifications of this downpour were palpable, with 44 flights experiencing delays and 50 others facing cancellations at LaGuardia Airport as of 1 p.m. on Friday (local time), according to an airport traffic monitoring website.
This latest inundation follows closely on the heels of heavy downpours and fierce winds experienced over the previous weekend, stemming from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia. This storm system saturated New York City and led to widespread power outages in various states, including North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
In the case of New York, intermittent rainfall throughout the week had already saturated the ground, creating conditions conducive to flash flooding when the subsequent deluge struck.
A video shared on Instagram vividly depicted the gravity of the flooding in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where a whirlpool emerged right in the middle of a street.
Weather experts informed Reuters that nearly eight inches (20 cm) of rain inundated certain parts of the United States' most populous city. Furthermore, forecasters anticipated the possibility of additional inches of rainfall in the region before the storm system eventually moved out to sea.
Remarkably, despite the severe weather conditions, authorities reported no loss of life or injuries resulting from the rain-related incidents. Nevertheless, city officials did receive reports of six basement apartments being flooded on Friday, although all occupants were successfully rescued.
In response to the perilous conditions, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a warning of "life-threatening" floods and declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley. The situation prompted the deployment of National Guard troops to assist in the emergency response efforts.
In the suburb of Mamaroneck, located in Westchester County just north of New York City, emergency responders employed inflatable rafts to rescue individuals trapped in buildings by the rising floodwaters.
The Metropolitan Transportation Agency reported significant disruptions to New York's subway system and the Metro North commuter rail service due to the widespread flooding. Several subway lines were entirely suspended, and numerous stations had to be closed.
The transportation woes extended to bus routes, which experienced considerable delays, stranding passengers for extended periods. Authorities issued advisories urging New Yorkers to avoid travel unless it was essential to escape a flooded area.
Traffic congestion reached a critical point earlier in the day, causing a complete standstill on a segment of the FDR Drive, a major thoroughfare along Manhattan's eastern flank. With water levels rising above car tires, some motorists abandoned their vehicles.
In the South Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, workers found themselves wading through knee-deep water as they attempted to clear a storm drain, while pieces of cardboard and other debris floated by. Some residents resorted to using milk crates and wooden boards as makeshift bridges to traverse the flooded sidewalks.
The meteorological factors behind this intense downpour involved the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia over the Atlantic Ocean, combined with a mid-latitude system arriving from the west. This convergence occurred at a time when atmospheric conditions, driven by moisture-laden air masses originating from the ocean, were particularly conducive to storm formation, according to Ross Dickman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The resultant combination storm essentially parked itself over New York for a staggering 12 hours.
Weather authorities had issued advance warnings of expected rainfall amounts ranging from 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 13 centimeters) and cautioned emergency managers to anticipate over 6 inches (15 centimeters) in certain areas, as communicated by Dickman.
Â
