NYC prepares for Debby as storm threatens flooding & damage statewide
NEW YORK -- New York City and its suburbs are preparing for the worst when the remnants of Hurricane Debby reach the Tri-State Area.
A tornado warning was briefly issued in Orange County while most of New York City's western and northern counties remain under a tornado watch. Heavy rain, high wind and flooding are expected across the area on Friday.
As of Friday afternoon, the NYC Office of Emergency Management had over 150 reports of down trees across the five boroughs, including in Queens where a huge tree fell on a house.
All of New York under state of emergency
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for all of New York on Friday due to the risk of severe flooding posed by the remnants of Debby.
The governor's office cited "a growing risk of severe thunderstorms with the possibilities of tornadoes in the eastern half of the state" in the announcement.
"With the remnants of Debby making its way across New York, I am declaring a statewide State of Emergency, and my administration stands ready to support impacted communities," Hochul said. "State agencies have activated swift water rescue teams for impacted regions that require assistance, and it is important for New Yorkers to remain vigilant and stay off the roads."
Empty tractor-trailers and tandem trucks are banned on MTA bridges due to the threat of heavy wind and rain. The ban is likely to remain in place until 7 a.m. Saturday.
Con-Ed preparing for extensive power outages
Con Edison is preparing for what could be extensive power outages in the New York City suburbs.
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said high winds are particularly concerning in the summer when trees are full of leaves.
"As well as the amount of rain we have saturating the ground. Those two factors off-balance the trees and that's why you have a lot of downed limbs and things like that," Neuhaus said.
Con Ed says report downed wires ASAP and always treat them as live and dangerous.
MTA getting ready for potential flood and wind damage
The MTA has been preparing the entire system for the storm.
"On a dry day, the MTA pumps out 13 million gallons of water out of the subway system. We're pretty good at this, at this point. The principal issue for tonight is the threat of wind. So we're tying down equipment throughout our system. We've got the bus depots. There's a special attention making sure that there's nothing vulnerable there. We tie down equipment at construction sites," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.
Still, flooding is common concern at a handful of subway stations, including the one at 157th Street and Broadway in Washington Heights.
"We work with the city to redirect that water away from the entrances. We sometimes raise the steps so there's more protection against flooding. And every time there's one of these floods, we go out and analyze it and put in a fix," said Lieber.
Crews will be deployed to flood-prone areas and workers have already cleared track drains and checked water pumps across the system, the MTA said.
Click here to check the First Alert Forecast.
NYC mayor urges commuters to use mass transit
Mayor Eric Adams urged commuters to use mass transit, instead of driving during the storm.
"We saw earlier this week, when the first storm hit our shores, we saw many vehicles were stuck on our highways and roadways. And it's just important during this time for people to use mass transportation so that you're not stuck, particularly in those areas where you see the flooding, those low-lying areas. So if you don't have to be on the road, we're asking people not to be on the road to allow the emergency crews to do what they do best, " Adams said during an exclusive interview on CBS News New York.
The state said at least 100 members of the National Guard are also ready to respond.
Commuter rail delays
Service on Metro-North's Harlem Line is suspended between Crestwood and White Plains because of downed trees Friday afternoon. There are also weather-related delays between Goldens Bridge and Brewster, the MTA said.
Click here for MTA service alerts.
Flight delays & cancellations
All three major airports in the New York City area are dealing with delays and cancellations Friday.
According to FlightAware, delays at LaGuardia, JFK and Newark were averaging between 30 and 60 minutes Friday afternoon.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled.
Click here to check the status of a flight.
Yankees-Rangers game postponed
The Yankees didn't waste time before postponing Friday's game against the Texas Rangers. It will be made up during a single-admission doubleheader on Saturday.
Fans with tickets to Saturday's regularly scheduled 1:05 p.m. game can stay for the second game. Friday's tickets are not valid for the doubleheader, the team said.
