Water gushed from the ceiling of the 42nd Street-Bryant Park subway station in midtown Friday as torrential rains battered the tri-state area, prompting flood warnings for nearly a dozen counties in New York and New Jersey.
Video posted to social media showed a wall of water spewing from the ceiling to the platform at the station shortly before noon as the powerful storm system moved through. The rate of flow was so intense the yellow safety line on the platform appeared completely under water. User @mtehuitz quipped, "Refreshing, no? Thank you @MTA."
Rainfall at LaGuardia and Kennedy airports broke July 7 records. At LaGuardia, 1.92 inches of rain were measured; at Kennedy, it was 1.54 inches.
The National Weather Service said about 1.54 inches of rain had fallen in Central Park at that point. Flood warnings were issued for parts of New Jersey and the Hudson Valley before the rain tapered off Friday evening.
More than 5 inches of rainfall had been recorded in parts of Warren County by 11:20 a.m., while parts of Morris County saw more than 4 inches. In Essex County's Newark, there were reports of at least one car stranded in water at one point; officials did confirm flooding in the area at the time.
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Area airports also experienced delays. The downpours didn't provide much relief from the heat though; the air remained muggy and uncomfortable and that was expected to continue Saturday. Another round of showers was possible Friday night.
Saturday also brings another chance for showers and thunderstorms north and west of the city in the afternoon, but the day won't be a total washout.
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Sunday is the better half of the weekend and will bring mostly sunny skies and will be less humid. Comfortably warm temperatures are expected.
