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Governor Kathy Hochul is set to declare a state of emergency today for multiple New York counties, including the Bronx, Delaware, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester. This comes as the National Weather Service (NWS) has upgraded the flash flooding risk to moderate, with up to a 70 percent chance of significant flooding.
The declaration comes as torrential rain, potentially delivering up to five inches in the heaviest bands, threatens downstate New York, particularly the Mid-Hudson, New York City, and Long Island regions, starting Thursday afternoon and extending into Friday.
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Rainfall rates could exceed two inches per hour, posing risks to the Thursday evening commute, with employers urged to release workers early to avoid delays.
Flood watches are in effect for New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley through Friday afternoon, with the heaviest rain expected to fall in three to six hours from Thursday afternoon into the night.
The NWS forecasts one to three inches of rain to be widespread, with isolated areas possibly seeing five inches, and rates of one to two inches per hour, with some exceeding two inches. This could lead to impassable roads, especially around underpasses and poorly drained areas, and flood basements and subways, overwhelming NYC sewers.
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The Southern Tier, Capital Region, and Upper Mid-Hudson Regions may see up to two inches of rain, adding to the statewide concern.
The state has released non-essential employees in New York City, Sullivan, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties at 1:00 p.m. to mitigate commute risks.
“I am urging all New Yorkers to stay vigilant, stay informed, and use caution as we expect excessive rainfall with the potential for flash flooding,” Governor Hochul said. “State agencies are on standby for heavy downpours and localized flooding and will be monitoring the situation in real-time to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers in the path of the storm.”