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New York has faced its second flash flood in two weeks as severe downpours caused intense disruption for air and rail travel along the Eastern Seaboard.
On Thursday, July 31, workers in the Big Apple and New Jersey were sent home early ahead of the evening commute, as the city’s emergency management agency urged people to avoid unnecessary travel.
The National Weather Service posted flash flood warnings along parts of the Northeast urban corridor stretching from the Washington-Baltimore region north through Philadelphia, Delaware, Wilmington, and into Newark, New Jersey, and the New York City metropolitan area.
Torrential downpours kept travellers grounded in New York and the surrounding areas as hundreds of flights both in and out of the city were cancelled or delayed.
Passenger rail travel was also halted, with Amtrak reporting services were affected between Philadelphia and Wilmington due to severe storms causing high water to flood the tracks.
Up to 5 inches (12.7 cm) of rain was forecast across New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson River Valley, with rainfall rates that could exceed 2 inches per hour.
The National Weather Service also shared that they are expecting 1.5 to 3 inches of rain for the city through Friday afternoon, August 1.
