Flood watch declared for NYC metro region, with higher risk for Hudson Valley

Heavy rains and flooding are expected to return to the New York City metropolitan area overnight Saturday into Sunday, with areas to the city’s north and northwest at higher risk after getting deluged last weekend.

A flood watch will be in effect for the region from midnight Sunday through the entire day — thanks to excessive rainfall that could cause roadways and other areas to be overrun with water, according to the National Weather Service.

Areas to the north and northwest of the city — including Rockland and Orange Counties and other parts of the Hudson Valley that saw damaging floods last Sunday — are in a worse position compared to the five boroughs and Long Island.

“The ground is already saturated in a lot of those places,” said Jay Engle, a meteorologist with the NWS. “So thus, even brief, heavy, rainfall can [exacerbate] flooding issues and cause a problem.”

One woman and her dog were killed trying to escape the flooding in Orange County last week.

Northeast New Jersey, the lower Hudson Valley and southern Connecticut are at moderate risk of excessive rainfall, with the brunt of the storms expected in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to the latest forecast.

The city and Long Island are at slight risk of excessive rainfall. Scattered storms are expected in bursts later in the day Sunday. The region is expected to see one to two inches of rainfall, but some parts could see as much as three to five inches.

Engle warned that flood water should not be underestimated, with many flood-related deaths resulting from people stranded in their cars.

“Our saying is: Turn around, don’t drown. Don’t try to drive through water,” he said. “If it looks questionable, whether the water looks high, don’t go.”