New York City experienced significant disruption on Friday as torrential downpours, following a week of continuous rainfall, triggered flash flooding.
The relentless rain inundated the city’s streets and disrupted subway services in the nation’s most populous metropolis.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for New York City, with the alert set to remain in effect until midday. By Friday morning, some areas had already received over 2 inches (5.08 cm) of rain, and the forecast predicted an additional 3 inches within hours.
Yikes! Flooding at Grand Army Plaza station in Brooklyn, New York this morning with more rain on the way!
LSC Viewer: Andre Forbes pic.twitter.com/M0V8WWtAcj
— Live Storm Chasers (@LiveStormChaser) September 29, 2023
Certain locations, including Brooklyn, lower Manhattan, and John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, reported up to 6 inches of rainfall, making this a potentially life-threatening situation, according to meteorologist Zack Taylor of the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center.
The flooding had a significant impact on New York’s transportation infrastructure. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reported major disruptions to the subway system and the Metro North commuter rail service. Several subway lines, including the G line connecting Brooklyn and Queens, were suspended, and numerous stations were closed.
Major flooding in Brooklyn today. Trains shut down and the only way out of the station is through this. pic.twitter.com/yQPLOyc6dX
— Seth Chinnis (@sethchinnis) September 29, 2023
Across the broader New York metropolitan area and along the East Coast, approximately 18 million people were under various flood warnings, watches, and advisories issued by the weather service.
