Dangerous flooding is unfolding in eastern New York amid torrential rainfall as a band of slow-moving downpours move toward New England after drenching New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Tuesday.
Multiple flash flood warnings are in effect over the Hudson Valley, where rainfall totals have topped 6 inches in some areas. Schodack, New York, has the top total from this storm with 9.22 inches more than twice the amount of rain the area sees on average in the entire month of July.
The storm has dropped over 5 inches of rain at Albany International Airport since Tuesday, which puts it among the citys biggest two-day rainfall events on record.
A state of emergency has been issued in Columbia County, just south of Albany. The county said flooding of local, county and state roadways has occurred in many areas and urged residents to avoid travel.
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Video from CNN affiliate WRGB showed cars stranded in floodwater in Guilderland, New York, where multiple roads were closed due to flooding. A man in the video appeared to carry a child from one of the vehicles and helped another person walk through the waist-deep water.
More than 11 million people are under flood watches Wednesday from eastern New York through western New England. The greatest danger is centered on parts of eastern New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut, where a Level 3 of 4 risk of flooding rain is in place, as seen in the graphic below.
Heavy rain will gradually spread into eastern Massachusetts, including Boston, later Wednesday.
The storm is creeping northeast after soaking parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Areas in northern New Jersey picked up between 2 to 5 inches of rain.
Flooding strands cars, forces rescues
At least 20 people were rescued from floodwater Tuesday in the Paterson, New Jersey, area, according to the citys fire department. They included a person stranded in the high water in their wheelchair.
Just after midnight Wednesday, flooding closed two lanes of US 1/9 in both directions near the Pulaski Skyway in Hudson County, New Jersey, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Multiple cars became stranded in floodwater on Staten Island late Tuesday night, according to the New York City Fire Department. Flooded roads, stranded vehicles and water rescues were also reported in parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania on Monday and Tuesday.
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The Rescue Hose & Ladder Co. fire department said it responded to flooding on Tuesday in Coalport, Pennsylvania, where crews rescued three people and two dogs from a residence.
By early Wednesday, around 200 flights had been canceled and dozens delayed at LaGuardia Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport combined, according to FlightAware. At Boston Logan International Airport, more than 30 flights were canceled as of early Wednesday and about as many flights delayed.
When the flood threat will wind down
Heavy rain falling at rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour will continue to soak parts of eastern New York and western New England through Wednesday afternoon. These areas are at greatest risk of additional significant flooding much of the day.
Coastal New England, including Boston, will also see bands of soaking downpours, but storms should move fast enough to prevent serious flooding impacts.
The storm system will start to weaken on Wednesday evening and its rainfall will become more scattered and less intense; at which point, the risk of additional widespread flooding will drop.
A Level 1 of 5 risk of isolated flooding rain is in place from Boston to coastal Maine on Thursday for lingering pockets of heavier rain.
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