On 9 July 2023, Sunday night, heavy rain caused catastrophic flooding in New York’s Hudson Valley, which resulted in the de@th of at least one person, flooded roadways, and resulted in the closure of roads. This occurred as most of the rest of the Northeastern United States prepared for a major storm.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings across sections of southern New York, describing the conditions as “life-threatening,” in addition to issuing advisories in northeastern New Jersey.
According to Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, who spoke with CBS New York, a woman in her mid-30s and her dog were washed away by floodwaters in Highland Falls while the woman was evacuating her home. The body of the woman was located at a later time. Neuhaus said that the dog had been located and was being cared for by a neighbor.
As of 9:30 p.m., Governor Kathy Hochul of New York State tweeted that 13,000 residences were without electricity. Some areas of the state have been impacted more severely by the rain than others, but officials have warned people in the eastern half of the state to prepare for heavy downpours and the possibility of flash flooding.
Residents who live in the path of the storm were strongly encouraged by officials not to venture out onto the roads. The amount of water is extraordinary and it’s still a very dangerous situation, Hochul said. “We’ll get through this,” the governor said, but added that “it’s going to be a rough night.”
Just after 9 o’clock on Sunday evening, the governor of New York issued a state of emergency proclamation for Orange County, which is located approximately 60 miles north of New York City and received approximately 8 inches of rainfall. Just before 11 o’clock at night, the county of Ontario was added to the list of jurisdictions under a state of emergency.
“We are in close communication with local officials and state agencies are participating in search and rescue efforts,” Governor Kathy Hochu said. You can see the tweet below:
I have announced a State of Emergency for Orange County, which has experienced life-threatening flooding over the past few hours.
We are in close communication with local officials and State agencies are participating in search and rescue efforts. ⬇️
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) July 10, 2023
To assist with rescues in flooded areas, the state deployed five swift-water rescue teams and a high-axle truck. Some social media videos showed the intensity of the flooding, with brown-colored floods running very up to homes.
Showers and thunderstorms were also forecast in New York City Sunday night, potentially resulting in flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service New York.
The city’s emergency notification system stated that the heavy rain might create “life-threatening flooding to basements” and advised residents to “prepare now to move to higher ground if needed.”
State Route 9W was flooded, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway got so saturated that parts of it were closed, according to a statement from the New York State Police. The public was advised to avoid the parkway by the police.
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Metro-North train service was scheduled to be suspended in both directions into Monday due to flooding and felled trees, according to CBS New York. According to CBS New York, Amtrak train service between Albany and New York City was also halted due to inclement weather.
According to FlightAware, almost 1,000 flights scheduled to go into or out of Laguardia, John F. Kennedy, or Newark airports have been canceled as of Sunday night.
According to Lucy Yang, “Cedar Pond Brook in Stony Point was pouring over the road and into private residences”. You can see the tweet below:
Cedar Pond Brook acting more like rapids. Roads flooded.
Stony Point @ABC7NY @JeffSmithABC7 @SandraBookman7 @SamChampion @LeeGoldbergABC7 pic.twitter.com/ZmqEGwwcLf— Lucy Yang (@LucyYang7) July 9, 2023
Nation Weather Service tweeted that, “a significant flood threat with a high risk of excessive rainfall is expected across much of New England by Monday.” In Vermont and northeastern New York, heavy rain is possible. You can see the tweet below:
A Flash Flood Emergency has been issued for Metro New York City. This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW! pic.twitter.com/yexMyBLa76
— National Weather Service (@NWS) September 2, 2021
“This is a very rare event not only for the North Country but for the U.S. as a whole,” NWS Burlington tweeted. “Considerable to catastrophic flash flooding is likely to occur over portions of our forecast area through Monday.” You can see the tweet below:
This is a very rare event not only for the North Country but for the U.S. as a whole. Considerable to catastrophic flash flooding is likely to occur over portions of our forecast area through Monday. Please stay weather aware and prepare to take action! https://t.co/Np20Qec11f
— NWS Burlington (@NWSBurlington) July 9, 2023
In Pennsylvania, at least 39 people in the city of Reading were displaced, CBS Philadelphia reported. Flooding also shut down the eastbound lanes on a stretch of Interstate-76 from about 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Multiple roads in Norfolk, Connecticut, were closed after the town received five inches of rain in 90 minutes, according to the town’s emergency management.
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