Record-Breaking Rainfall Engulfs New York City, with More Storms on the Horizon

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Unprecedented rainfall left New York City and its surrounding areas in a state of waterlogged disarray last Friday, disrupting public transportation systems, inundating roadways, flooding basements, and leading to a temporary halt of operations at a LaGuardia Airport terminal.

John F. Kennedy Airport recorded a staggering 8.65 inches (21.97 centimeters) of precipitation by Friday evening, exceeding the historical September record established during Hurricane Donna in 1960, according to the National Weather Service.

Localized flooding was particularly severe in parts of Brooklyn, where more than 7.25 inches (18.41 centimeters) of rain were measured. Remarkably, some areas recorded as much as 2.5 inches (6 centimeters) within a mere hour, as confirmed by municipal and weather officials.

Further rainfall is anticipated for Saturday, exacerbating concerns for an already beleaguered populace.

This torrential downpour comes on the heels of a 2021 event in which the aftermath of Hurricane Ida led to record-breaking rainfall across the Northeast, culminating in the loss of at least 13 lives in New York City. While no fatalities or significant injuries have been reported in the wake of last Friday’s storm, the event did resurrect disturbing memories of past disasters.

In Woodside, Queens, water began rising to the threshold of Joy Wong’s residential building, igniting fears stirred by the 2021 flood that claimed the lives of three of her neighbors, including a young child. “I was highly concerned,” she stated, describing the external environment as resembling a large body of water and explaining that the situation had become too perilous to venture outside.

Minutes later, the building’s basement, which had been converted into a recreation room following the 2021 tragedy, was submerged almost up to the ceiling. It is now a total loss.

Emergency reports were filed for six flooded basements, but all residents managed to evacuate safely, city officials reported.

Both Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams issued states of emergency, encouraging residents to remain indoors when feasible. Despite this, schools remained operational, leaving students and employees wondering about their return journeys.

Transit systems faced widespread disruptions. Nearly every subway line experienced partial suspensions, rerouting, or delays. Metro-North commuter rail service was suspended for most of the day but started to resume by evening. Bus operations across the city were thrown into chaos, with 44 of the 3,500 buses stranded, according to transit officials.

In Grand Central Terminal, travelers like Mike Tags were left contemplating alternative arrangements after their train services were canceled. Traffic along the FDR Drive was paralyzed due to flooding, causing some motorists to abandon their vehicles.

The source of this unprecedented rainfall was identified as the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia interacting with a mid-latitude system from the west. This led to a protracted, 12-hour deluge over the city, according to Ross Dickman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

This event follows closely after another disastrous flood in New York’s Hudson Valley and Vermont’s capital, Montpelier, less than three months ago. As global temperatures rise, the frequency of extreme weather events is expected to increase, say atmospheric scientists.

Friday’s downpour marked the third occurrence in two years where Central Park witnessed rainfall rates nearing 2 inches (5 centimeters) per hour, an abnormal pattern noted by Adam Sobel, a climate scientist at Columbia University. By Friday night, the park had received 5.8 inches (14.73 centimeters) of rainfall.

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Contributions to this report were made by Big Big News journalists Deepti Hajela, Joe Frederick, and Karen Matthews in New York, Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, and Seth Borenstein in Washington.

For further AP coverage on climate change, please visit: Climate and Environment

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More about Record-breaking rainfall

• National Weather Service Rainfall Data
• New York City Transit Updates
• Governor Kathy Hochul’s Emergency Declaration
• Mayor Eric Adams’ Statement on the Flooding
• Recent Climate Change Studies on Extreme Weather
• Historical Records of Rainfall in New York City
• Emergency Response and Preparedness Guidelines
• Atmospheric Science Research on Extreme Rainfall