New York City residents urged to shelter in place 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.
Life-threatening flash flooding is pummeling the New York City area Friday as remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia lash 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 September day on record at JFK Airport, eclipsing the record from Hurricane Donna in 1960, the National Weather Service in New York said. It also ranks as the second-wettest airport day of all time.
Widespread rain totals of 3 to 5 inches are expected throughout 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.
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The FOX Forecast Center said rainfall rates in some storms are reaching 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.
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.
Mud landslides were also reported by emergency management in the hillier terrain of Lower Westchester.
Heavy rain triggers flash flooding in Brooklyn
Street flooding was seen in Brooklyn early on Friday, September 29, after some heavy rain across the wider New York area.
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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 are still arriving and departing at area airports, although intermittent ground stops are likely as heavy rain continues lashing the region.
The FAA reports that the fuel farm is flooded and unusable at New York's LaGuardia Airport. It's the only jet fuel storage facility at the airport.
(FOX Weather)
"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."
Styer said a portion of the city's schools took in water, "but nothing has impacted their ability to safely educate students. Our schools have safety plans in place and prepare for days like today."
The tri-state area, which includes New Jersey and Connecticut, is currently facing a flood threat that has resulted in flood alerts for 25.1 million people. As of Friday midday, some areas have already experienced 6-7 inches of rain, with more storms expected to come in the following hours.
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(FOX Weather)
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.
(FOX Weather)
There is currently a travel advisory in effect by the New York City Emergency Management that will last until 6 a.m. on Saturday. The persistent rainstorm in the country's biggest city has been ongoing for over 70 hours, which has contributed to the problem.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also 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 flash flooding
Coastal flooding alerts stretch hundreds of miles
Concerns about coastal flooding conditions are present all along the Atlantic seaboard, reaching as far as the Carolinas and Florida. These issues include persistent winds, residual energy from the recent tropical storm, and a particularly problematic factor: the full moon, which results in king tides.
Be sure to download the free FOX Weather app and enable notifications to be sent an alert if warnings are issued in your area.
Coastal flooding was seen in Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday morning.
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