More than 30 million people were expected to be under a flood watch from Wednesday afternoon as a large coastal storm threatened New York City, Boston and other parts of the coastal Northeast, forecasters said, and commuters were cautioned to expect travel disruptions.
Rain was expected to fall at up to one inch per hour at times between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service for New York City said. Forecasters warned of “widespread minor flooding” in urban communities, poor drainage zones and low-lying areas.
In total, about two to three inches of rain could fall on Long Island and southern Connecticut. The New York and New Jersey metro area, northeast New Jersey and the Lower Hudson Valley should expect about one to two inches of rain, forecasters said. All of those areas were covered by the flood watch that was expected to take effect on Wednesday afternoon.
The watch was also expected to cover parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where two to three inches of rain could fall, according to the National Weather Service office for Boston.
New York City’s emergency officials said in a travel advisory that the worst flood threat would begin on Wednesday afternoon and end around midnight. Flooded roads and travel delays were possible during the evening commute, officials said, and commuters should allow for extra travel time, drive slowly and use major streets or highways if possible.
“With another round of heavy rain and possible flooding in some low-lying areas heading our way, New Yorkers should start planning ahead of tomorrow’s storm so they can stay safe,” Mayor Eric Adams said on social media.
Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said the heavy rainfall could bring flooding, urging residents to “never drive through flooded areas.”
A flood watch, which is less severe than an advisory or a warning, indicates that conditions are favorable to flooding. After it expires on Thursday, an additional one to two inches of rain could continue to fall in the region over the weekend, meteorologists said.
