Rainfall Record Broken At JFK Airport Sunday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Heavy rain and flooding Sunday has caused power outages, train service disruptions and has stranded motorists throughout the area. So much rain has fallen that New York City set a record for rainfall on Sunday.
John F. Kennedy International Airport reported 7.72 inches Sunday night -- the most ever recorded there in a single day. The driving rain broke the previous record of 6.3 inches, set in 1983, the National Weather Service said.
The highest total regionally was recorded at Lido Beach in Nassau County -- 10.87 inches of rain by dusk.
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Weather service meteorologist Gary Conte in Upton said periods of rain and a few thunderstorms remain in the forecast. A flash flood watch was in effect. He expected wet weather into Tuesday but not like the hard rain that hit the city Sunday.
Flood watches and advisories are in effect for parts of New Jersey and New York as the wet weather continues through the Tri-State Area.
Numerous reports of flooding on local streets and highways came in during the evening hours. The city Department of Environmental Protection had 21 sewer maintenance crews in the field at night, as well as emergency repair workers, spokesman Farrell Sklerov said in an email.
In Bayswater, Queens, water rushed across across yards, down driveways, and into garages and basements. The electrical room of an apartment complex on Healy Avenue was flooded, meaning no power for tenants.
"It's over 100 feet wide in the back. It's four feet deep. We're going to be here all night, all night," water removal expert Peter Santana told CBS 2's Dave Carlin.
Soggy and stressed is 89-year-old retired school teacher Elaine Babian.
"I've lost my phone. I can't contact family. I can't read. I've got no lights. It's very uncomfortable," she said.
Flight delays were also reported at all three major airports in the area.
Transit officials said workers spent Sunday pumping water out of the subway system and fixing signals and switches after problems on the N, L and E lines, among others. Bus detours were in place to avoid flooded streets in Queens.
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Con Ed said 2,000 customers were without power Sunday night, mostly in Brooklyn, because of flooded manholes and downed power lines. Utility spokesman Chris Olert said the company expected to restore power to those customers by late Sunday night.
The Red Cross said it provided five families with emergency housing after they were displaced by flooding in their homes in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. Some local beaches were closed as a precautionary measure because storm runoff can cause elevated levels of bacteria.
The city's Office of Emergency Management activated its "situation room" to monitor the storms, spokesman Seth Andrews said.
Severe Weather Alerts:
Flash Flood Warning in CT - Northern New Haven, Southern New Haven
Areal Flood Advisory, Flash Flood Watch in CT - Northern Fairfield, Northern New Haven, Southern Fairfield, Southern New Haven
Areal Flood Watch in CT - Northern Litchfield, Southern Litchfield
Flood Warning, Areal Flood Warning in NJ - Mercer
Areal Flood Warning in NJ - Middlesex, Morris, Somerset
Flash Flood Watch in NJ - Coastal Ocean, Eastern Bergen, Eastern Essex, Eastern Monmouth, Eastern Passaic, Eastern Union, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Northwestern Burlington, Ocean, Somerset, Sussex, Western Bergen, Western Essex, Western Monmouth, Western Union
Flash Flood Watch - Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Northern Nassau, Northern Queens, Northern Westchester, Northwest Suffolk, Putnam, Richmond (Staten Is.), Rockland, Southern Nassau, Southern Queens, Southern Westchester, Southwest Suffolk
Areal Flood Watch - Eastern Columbia, Eastern Dutchess, Eastern Ulster, Western Dutchess, Western Ulster
How has the heavy rain affected your Sunday? Sound off in our comments section below...
