New Yorkers are contending with a deluge of two months’ worth of rain that poured onto the city in a 24-hour period over the Sabbath.
More than seven inches of rain fell in Brooklyn and more than six inches of rain was reported in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx, with peak rainfall amounts of three inches per hour. The downpour caused flash flooding with numerous storm-related impacts on travel and transit throughout the city. Subway stations were underwater due to the deluge.
In the Midwood section of Brooklyn, flood waters overwhelmed yards and gardens — where Jews built their sukkahs for the holiday — and invaded basements and the ground floors of several apartment buildings as well.
JFK Airport was submerged under 7.97 inches of rain on Friday, a new daily record dating back to 1948, when data was first collected, Fox Weather reported. By Friday, the airport saw a total of 8.48 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
The downpour was caused by the remnants of what was Tropical Storm Ophelia.
Since Thursday, LaGuardia Airport has seen 4.87 inches of rain. Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey received 1.77 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Central Park saw 5.85 inches, and midtown Manhattan swam under 6.16 inches.
More than 2,000 customers in the downstate region were without power Friday due to heavy rain, complicating the efforts of Jewish families who were preparing for the Sukkot holiday. Needless to say, some families found it impossible to celebrate the holiday in their sukkahs due to the heavy flooding.
Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for all of New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson region, as heavy rain continued to fall in the downstate region.
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services activated the State Emergency Operations Center to actively monitor storm conditions and support local governments’ requests for assistance. The State Office of Fire Prevention and Control also activated its Fire Operations Center to deploy flood rescue teams to both Nassau County and Westchester County to assist with flood emergency response.
