Heavy rain pummels the East Coast and sparks isolated flash flooding
In New York, flash flooding briefly closed sections of major roadways and flooded train stations across the metropolitan region as the evening rush hour approached.
Commuters captured video of water pouring over a train on a platform in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal and water pooling on the floor of a city bus as it pushed through a flooded Brooklyn street.
Riders of one Long Island-bound commuter train were evacuated by firefighters as floodwaters rose. Other commuter rail lines on Long Island and New Jersey were suspended or severely delayed.
Amtrak officials announced Thursday evening that trains between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware were stopped because of severe storms sending high water over the tracks.
'Once a route is available, anticipate residual delays,' company officials posted on X.
Traffic cameras and social media posts on a highway in the New York City borough of Queens showed motorists at one point standing on the roofs of stranded vehicles and a tractor-trailer nearly fully submerged. Police said they pulled cars carrying two people from the flooded stretch before the waters receded and traffic slowly resumed.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other local officials pleaded with people to stay off the roads and urged residents in basement apartments to move to higher locations as rain was expected to fall through Friday afternoon.
In Pennsylvania, National Weather Service warnings of up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of rain in an hour produced flooding in Reading, a city about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia.
Photos and videos online showed parked cars nearly underwater and water pouring down a narrow city street. Other videos from Reading showed emergency vehicles blocking off some streets or underpasses as flood waters had rendered them impassable.
In Maryland, emergency responders rescued multiple people from flooded vehicles in communities northeast of Baltimore.
Officials there also preemptively closed roads prone to flooding, shuttered schools and libraries early and opened emergency shelters as more thunderstorms were expected across Maryland. Flood watches and warnings were issued across the state.
Airports in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia all reported scores of flight delays and cancellations into Thursday evening.
Tornado warnings in New Jersey came and went with no reports of twisters, though more than 14,000 electricity customers were without power as of Thursday evening.
States of emergency were declared in New Jersey and New York City, though flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings were lifted in New York City by Thursday night.
Flood watches and severe thunderstorm watches posted in other locations remained in effect into Friday morning, with 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain possible in some areas of the East Coast.
The weather service warned flooding was possible in small creeks and streams and along highways, streets, underpasses and places with poor drainage. Some areas could also see high wind gusts and hail.
__
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
'Prolonged impact': Canadian wildfires prompt air quality warnings for Midwest, Northeast
Forecasters say relatively weak winds have left Canadian wildfire smoke to linger over the U.S. Stronger winds are expected to bring relief later in the week. Wildfires burning out of control in Canada are leaving a trail of smoke across the northern United States and prompting local authorities to issue health warnings for millions of people due to poor air quality. Blazes raging in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are creating poor conditions in the Midwest and Northeast, the National Weather Service said on Aug. 4. Officials from Minnesota to Maine have issued air quality alerts, according to the Storm Prediction Center. The impact from the fires isn't as dramatic as the wildfires of 2023 that left New York City blanketed in a moonglow orange. But weak winds have left the smoke to linger over the northern United States for days, said Dan Cornish, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Michigan. "We're definitely seeing prolonged impact, we've had several days of hazy skies," Cornish told USA TODAY, adding the horizon outside the weather service office in Gaylord, Michigan, has been a "milky gray" for days. "Unfortunately, that's just going to continue to deteriorate air quality across much of this area." Storm Prediction Center alert maps show blanket air quality warnings for the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, and the New England region. Stronger winds aren't expected to blow the smoke until Aug. 6 or Aug. 7 for the Midwest, Cornish said. Conditions in the Northeast will likely improve by the end of the week, according to the forecaster. Authorities recommend limiting outdoor activity in the areas impacted by smoke from Canadian wildfires. Children, older adults, and people suffering from respiratory conditions, including asthma, are particularly vulnerable to the fine particulate matter small enough to be inhaled that is the toxic byproduct of wildfires, environmental officials warned. Where are the wildfires in Canada? The worst of the blazes impacting the United States are burning in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and western Ontario, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. Most of the Canadian blazes are sparked by lightning in dry, remote forested areas that are difficult for firefighters to access except by aircraft, according to Cornish. "You get a lot of wildfires that can start up in those conditions, and it's a challenge but that's the nature of it, quite literally," Cornish said. "There's nothing you can do to prevent it." What cities are the worst off? The blazes have catapulted major American and Canadian cities into the most polluted places in the world, according to a global air-quality index maintained by IQAir, a Swiss-based air quality monitoring company. Detroit, Minneapolis, and Toronto were among the top 11 most polluted cities in the world on the evening of Aug. 4, according to IQAir. New York City and Montreal were among the top 20 most polluted cities, according to the global index. See the map of Canadian wildfires Side effects of inhaling wildfire smoke Wildfire smoke can irritate one's eyes, nose, and throat and cause the following symptoms: Particulate matter (PM) is one of the main components of wildfire smoke, comprised of small particles of solids or liquids suspended in the air, USA TODAY previously reported. According to Yale Medicine, the particles can be 10 micrometers, PM 10, or as small as 2.5 micrometers, PM 2.5, which can easily pass through a person's usual defense mechanisms and can "penetrate deep into the lungs, where they can impair lung function, cause illnesses, such as bronchitis, and increase asthma attacks." The following is linked to exposure to the PM 2.5, according to Yale Medicine: Contributing: Julia Gomez
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
NYC air quality worsens again amid Canadian wildfire haze
NEW YORK — Hazy skies and low air quality returned to the five boroughs on Monday, as smoke from Canadian wildfires again created a gray scene in the New York skies. All of New York state and almost all of New England was under an air quality alert from the National Weather Service on Monday afternoon. The warning for New York City extended until midnight. 'Air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including older adults, children, and people with heart or lung conditions,' NYC's emergency department wrote on social media. 'You may notice a faint smell of smoke, and low visibility conditions.' It has become a depressingly familiar story for New Yorkers in recent years. Smoke from uncontrolled wildfires in Canada, most of them in the province of Manitoba, has been carried south and east by common wind patterns. The worst air quality in recent years occurred in June 2023, when the smoke became so thick it created an orange haze over the city. However, the subpar air quality has returned to the city in each of the past two summers as well, including multiple times earlier this year. 'Limit outdoor activity, close windows, use air purifiers if available, and consider wearing a high-quality mask if you must go outside and are in a sensitive group,' NYC Emergency Management warned. New York was hardly alone in dealing with poor air quality on Monday. All of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware, along with the majority of Vermont were also under air quality alerts. _____
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Heat wave coming to Southern California: Here's when temperatures will spike
The Brief Southern California is preparing for its hottest weather of the summer, with temperatures expected to rise significantly starting on Wednesday. The heat is caused by a high-pressure system, which will push inland temperatures 5 to 10 degrees above normal and create a heightened fire risk. The peak of the heat wave is forecast for Thursday, with a cooldown expected to begin by Saturday. LOS ANGELES - Southern California this week is bracing for what appears to be the hottest weather so far this summer. According to the National Weather Service, warmer-than-normal temperatures will begin on Wednesday and peak on Thursday across Southern California. Temperatures will rise sharply, as much as 10 degrees above normal, especially inland. "This warming will push many interior areas to 4 to 6 degrees over normal, with 90s in the valleys and 100-103 degree readings in the western San Fernando Valley," the agency said. The agency warns that potentially hazardous heat is possible on Friday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 10. "Most areas will end up 5 to 10 degrees above normal. Two exceptions will be the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, and Calabasas area where max temps will be 10 to 12 degrees above normal." Max temps in the valleys will range from 95 to 106 degrees, with the deserts sizzling with max temps from 105 to 107 degrees. The hot temperatures are the result of a high-pressure system expanding over the region. Accompanying the heat will be widespread strong winds, elevating fire weather danger. The NWS has issued an elevated fire weather warning for Santa Barbara County from Wednesday, Aug. 6 to Saturday, Aug. 9 due to this increased heat. Officials said heat advisories are likely for most of the Los Angeles area but will be issued towards the end of the week when temperatures will be hottest. A cooldown is expected by Saturday, Aug. 9. According to the NWS, the only triple-digit heat will be found in the Antelope Valley, with the warmest valley locations reaching the mid-90s. The Source This weather report is based on information provided by the National Weather Service, including their official forecasts and statements. The details on temperature increases, fire weather warnings, and the cause of the heat wave are all directly attributed to the agency. Solve the daily Crossword
