Record-breaking rain inundated the New York City metro area Friday, with more than half a foot falling in some areas. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams both declared a state of emergency as flash flooding inundated roads, disrupted subway and train service, and even forced a terminal at LaGuardia Airport to close.
Here’s what we know so far about the overall effects of Friday’s rainfall.
It was historic.
More than 6 inches of rain had fallen across many parts of the city as of 6 p.m. Friday, with Brooklyn and Queens getting the worst of it.
The area around JFK Airport was the hardest hit, getting more than 8 inches of rain, and making it the wettest September day on record since 1948, when recordkeeping for that location’s weather conditions began, according to the National Weather Service.
Midtown Manhattan was hit with more than 6 inches of rain by Friday evening, while Staten Island had around 3 inches. Parts of Brooklyn saw more than 7 inches according to figures provided by the National Weather Service.
Roads, trains, and planes were swamped.
Residents across the area experienced hellish commutes despite transportation authorities’ efforts to avoid service interruptions.
Many subway lines were taken out of service or delayed due to flooding throughout the system, even as MTA Chair Janno Lieber said at a press conference that “it could’ve been worse.”
Several Metro-North lines were also suspended for hours, resuming service shortly after 6 p.m. As of Saturday morning most lines appeared to be operating on normal weekend schedules, with delays reported on the 6 and G lines. Check the MTA site for up-to-date information.
Meanwhile, PATH trains ran normally.
Roads throughout the city shut down as some New Yorkers were stranded in their cars — though many roads gradually reopened later in the day. Check the city’s emergency notifications for the latest updates.
Flooding forced LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal A to shutter from around 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,…
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