Kathy Hochul warns residents of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding as heavy rains impact the New York City metro area.

Kathy Hochul warned residents to take the incoming weather seriously as a vigorous storm system brought severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, and flash flooding to the New York City metro area on Saturday. The National Weather Service reported that the heaviest rainfall occurred in lower Manhattan, western Brooklyn, and Queens, with some areas experiencing several feet of water. The storms caused significant disruptions, including flight delays at LaGuardia, Kennedy, and Newark airports, and service interruptions across the city subway system. Flooding also blocked all lanes on the Long Island Expressway and the Clearview Expressway. In Newark, emergency crews rescued drivers from five cars trapped in heavy water. The heavy rains provided a necessary reprieve from poor air quality caused by more than 100 wildfires in Canada. While the downpours are expected to clear much of the smoke, the administration of the National Weather Service continues to monitor the risk of isolated tornadoes and localized flooding through Saturday evening.

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