New York, New Jersey brace for winter storm and floods amid heavy rainfall: all you need to know
By Wednesday morning, January 10, the tri-state can expect 2 to 4 inches of rain on top of the snow that already fell in some areas last week
Flood warnings are already in effect in most of the New York City metro area as the second major winter storm of the season brings heavy rain and causes power cuts across the tri-state. The New York tri-state area comprises parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
According to PowerOutage.us, nearly 89,000 New Yorkers had already lost power by 8 pm Tuesday, January 9.
Rain and flood warnings across tri-state
By Wednesday morning, January 10, the tri-state can expect 2 to 4 inches of rain on top of the snow that already fell in some areas last week. The National Weather Service issued flood warnings for many counties until 1 am, and a flash flood warning was also issued for part of Nassau County on Long Island until 2 am.New York City also got a flood warning from the National Weather Service until 2:30 am.
Meanwhile, many school districts announced delays for Wednesday morning.
Flight cancellation and road issues
Hundreds of flights were cancelled across the tri-state, the FAA reported. As a result, there were several delays at JFK (3 hours) and LaGuardia (2 hours). Even Newark Liberty reported delays and Amtrak reported several cancellations, the city's emergency management office said.
Several road issues were also reported by the New York Police Department, for instance, on the southbound FDR Drive, southbound Henry Hudson Parkway, northbound Bronx River Parkway, and northbound Cross Island Parkway.
Warning for Staten Island Ferry
The Staten Island Ferry could face delays and disruptions through Wednesday morning. Passengers have been asked to leave extra time commuting.
Until local rivers rise by Wednesday and Thursday, it is unlikely that many of the full effects of the storm will be known.
Travel advisory for New York City
A travel advisory for New York Cityhas been issued for the duration of the storm. Take a look:
The rain is expected to continue to get heavier as the night rolls out. Rapid snow melt can also be expected as the temperature rises along with heavy rainfall.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced a state of emergency
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy previously announced that a state of emergency would take effect at 5 pm Tuesday. This allowed resources across the state to be deployed.
"This storm will exacerbate the effects of the inclement conditions we experienced in December and this past weekend and may precede another storm Friday night," Murphy said in a statement. "As always, I urge all New Jerseyans – including residents in our coastal and riverine communities – to follow all safety protocols and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary."
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh alsodeclared a state of emergency from Tuesday evening. Residents who would like to leave their homes before the storm can use a Red Cross shelter that will open at 60 Temple Street. Nearby Newark can also expect floods. Hoboken, too, is under a state of emergency and residents have been asked to avoid flood-prone areas. They have also been asked not to drive during the height of the storm.
Across New Jersey and the lower Hudson Valley, residents should expect widespread river flooding. The areas with snow cover are likely to get affected the most.
