Heavy rain and dangerous flash flooding were still the main concern overnight and into Wednesday morning across the Tri-State area as a slow-moving storm system kept roads risky and cleanup crews busy. The heaviest rain was expected to shift north and east of New York City, but not before the region faced another round of flooding problems before daybreak.
That matters now because the storm had already dumped close to 10 inches of rain in some parts of the region, leaving flooded streets, power outages and travel headaches in its wake. An AccuWeather Alert remained in effect Wednesday morning, and travelers were told to allow extra time for the commute and stay alert for flooded roadways.
Lee said New York City could still be affected for the morning commute, and the timing was the key question for anyone trying to move through the city before work. If the low pressure system had tracked up the coast, heavy rain could have lasted until 4 or 5 a.m. in New York City and longer into the morning in the Hudson Valley. The more likely outcome was rain lasting until at least 3 a.m. in New York City before the core of the storm shifted farther north and east.
Even so, the danger was not over when the worst rain eased. Flooding problems and dangerous road conditions were still ongoing Wednesday morning, and widespread heavy rain was not expected after the morning hours. Conditions were expected to slowly improve through the day, with clouds breaking for some sunshine and only a chance of a spotty shower or thunderstorm during the afternoon.
The damage already stretched across northern New Jersey. Cleanup efforts were underway after powerful storms left more than 7,000 customers without power, and a downed tree fell onto a home in Midland Park, New Jersey, on Tuesday. In Paterson, floodwaters turned streets and sidewalks into rivers and swept vehicles away. Andre Sayegh said emergency crews rescued more than 20 people from dangerous conditions there, while officials urged drivers to avoid flooded roads in Paterson and Newark as crews worked to clear debris and restore normal conditions.
For now, the storm is shifting from an overnight rain threat to a daylight cleanup problem, but the morning commute still has to get through the flooding left behind. The next question is not whether the rain ends, but how quickly the roads drain and the region gets back to moving again.
