New Yorkers are bracing for flash flooding for the second time in two weeks, as severe thunderstorms and torrential downpours threaten the East Coast.
Workers in the Big Apple and New Jersey were sent home Thursday afternoon ahead of projected evening commute chaos caused by the weather.
The city’s emergency management agency urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, warning that street, basement and transit flooding were possible.
The heaviest rain is expected from Thursday afternoon until midnight, forecasters warned.
According to NYC officials, up to five inches of rain was expected, adding that a flood watch was in place from 2 p.m. Thursday until 8 a.m. Friday. The National Weather Service also forecast 1.5 to 3 inches of rain for the city through Friday afternoon.
“This storm system could bring intense rainfall rates and amounts in a very short period of time,” New York CEM Commissioner Zach Iscol said.
It comes just over a week after New York experienced biblical flash flooding, with warnings issued in all five boroughs and subway stations filling up with water.
Local news footage and clips shared online by commuters showed cars stranded in deep water in Westchester County, torrents of water flowing down station stairs, and pouring onto subway platforms.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to the floods, which claimed the lives of two people in the Garden State.
Thursday’s floor warnings come following intense heatwaves and humidity across the U.S. East Coast in recent weeks. The significant amount of moisture in the atmosphere, when released, has contributed to flash flooding, according to AccuWeather.
The forecaster says that a flash flood risk is present along a significant portion of the mid-Atlantic region and also into southern New England – potentially affecting around 43 million people.
