Heavy Rainfall During Peak Traffic Hours Engulfs New York Metropolitan Area, Paralyzing Roads and Leaving Commuters Stuck

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An intense rainfall event during peak commuting hours inundated the New York metropolitan region this past Friday, leading to significant interruptions in the city’s subway service, waterlogged roads and expressways, and flight delays at LaGuardia Airport.

According to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, some locales received as much as 5 inches (approximately 13 centimeters) of precipitation overnight. She further noted that an additional 7 inches (around 18 centimeters) could be anticipated over the course of the day.

Governor Hochul, in a televised conversation with NY1, emphasized the severity of the storm. “This is a perilous, life-endangering weather event,” she stated, advising residents to brace for ongoing adverse conditions for roughly the next 20 hours.

Vehicular movement came to a complete halt, with floodwaters reaching above car wheels, along a segment of FDR Drive, a key thoroughfare on Manhattan’s east side. Multiple drivers opted to vacate their automobiles under such conditions.

Priscilla Fontallio recounted being stuck in her car for an extended period of three hours. The vehicle was located on a part of the highway that was not submerged, yet remained immobilized. “I have never witnessed anything of this magnitude before,” she commented.

Visual content disseminated on social media platforms captured cascading water flooding subway stations and lower-level spaces.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, responsible for overseeing the subway and commuter railway networks, strongly recommended that residents of America’s most populated city remain indoors if feasible. Nearly every subway route was affected in some manner—either partially suspended, rerouted, or subject to delays. Additionally, two out of three Metro-North Railroad lines were halted.

Air travel was also impacted. Incoming flights to LaGuardia Airport were temporarily suspended on Friday morning due to water accumulation in the refueling area. Subsequently, one of the airport’s three terminals had to be closed because of flooding.

Adjacent municipalities surrounding New York City, including Hoboken in New Jersey, were similarly afflicted by flooding.

This torrential downpour occurred not long after a separate storm resulted in fatal floods in New York’s Hudson Valley and led to the inundation of Vermont’s capital, Montpelier, a mere three months ago. Furthermore, a bit over two years ago, the after-effects of Hurricane Ida unleashed unprecedented rainfall in the Northeast, claiming at least 13 lives in New York City alone, primarily among residents of flooded basement apartments. The overall death toll stretched from Virginia to Connecticut, totaling 50 individuals.

Governor Hochul had alerted residents the previous evening, stating that forecasts indicated 2-3 inches (approximately 5-7.5 centimeters) of rainfall, with the possibility of amounts exceeding 5 inches (around 13 centimeters) in some locations.

“In anticipation, we issue warnings and make preparations. However, when a downpour releases 5 inches within the past 12 hours—3 inches just this morning—that is a level of impact we are not traditionally equipped to handle,” she informed NY1 on Friday. She further noted that such extreme weather events are likely to become more common due to the effects of climate change.

Atmospheric scientists concur that the warming of the Earth is resulting in storms that form within an increasingly heated atmosphere, thereby making occurrences of extreme rainfall more frequent.

For comprehensive Associated Press coverage on climate change, visit: Climate and Environment on BigBigNews

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More about Rush-hour rainfall in New York City

• Comprehensive AP coverage on climate change
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority Updates
• National Weather Service Forecast
• LaGuardia Airport Flight Status
• Governor Kathy Hochul’s Official Statements
• Historical Weather Events in the Northeast
• Impact of Climate Change on Extreme Weather
• NY1 News Coverage