East Coast storms live updates: N.J. and N.Y. drenched by heavy rains

As heavy rain drenches the East Coast, much of the Southwest and the southeastern U.S. are baking under extreme heat.

Heat advisories are in effect in parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas and much of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, eastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas.

The National Weather Service also issued extreme heat warnings in western Tennessee, much of Mississippi and parts of south-central Arkansas and northern Louisiana. Widespread heat index values — a measure of what conditions “feel like” when humidity and air temperatures are combined — are expected to be in the triple digits, according to the NWS.

Heading into the weekend, extreme heat warnings will remain in effect tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday across southern Arizona. Conditions will pose a "major heat risk," with afternoon temperatures up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit expected in Phoenix and Tucson and throughout the Desert Southwest, according to the NWS.

Amtrak said all rail traffic between Philadelphia and Wilmington has been stopped because of “severe storms causing high water over tracks.”

“We are working to establish and provide a delay time. Once a route is available, anticipate residual delays,” Amtrak said.

Heavy rain has caused transportation disruptions all over the tri-state area,

There had been a ground stop for flights headed to Philadelphia International Airport, but it was lifted by a little after 6 p.m. The airport said delays are still possible and to check travel status.

Flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings have been lifted, New York City Emergency Management said shortly before 8 p.m., but people are still being told to avoid unnecessary travel.

The request to avoid travel is to allow crews to address impacts from today’s rainstorms, the agency said.

“Scattered showers are possible overnight into early Friday. A few may bring brief heavy rain but these are expected to be isolated,” Emergency Management said.

Twenty-five trees in the city fell today, it said, most of them in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Utility Con Ed reports 1,568 customers without power, Emergency Management said.

The FDR Drive in Manhattan has reopened after flooding closed the northbound artery at East Houston Street, officials said, but the city’s transportation network has taken a beating by the heavy rain.

The northbound FDR was announced closed around 4 p.m., and the city’s emergency management agency said around 7 p.m. that it had reopened but to “expect residual delays.”

“Transportation has been impacted immensely in NYC due to the rain,” the State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services said.

NJ Transit reported delays on some trains because of weather-related problems with overhead wires.

Almost 2 inches of rain had fallen on Staten Island by about 5 p.m., and over an inch fell on Alphabet City in Manhattan, according to unofficial readings from a weather station network, officials said.

Staten Island recorded 1.92 inches, Brooklyn recorded 1.37 inches, and Alphabet City was at 1.01 inches, the city’s emergency management agency said on social media at 4:47 p.m.

The agency cited the NYS Mesonet at the University of Albany, which has real-time weather stations in New York state and in the five boroughs. The New York City Micronet is a network of 23 weather stations.

New York Mayor Eric Adams declared a local state of emergency until tomorrow morning because of heavy rain and flooding, and he warned those in basement apartments to go to higher ground.

“Don’t drive. Roadways are flooding, and crews are responding,” Adams said on X.

“If you live in a basement apartment, and haven’t yet moved to higher ground, move now,” he warned.

The local state of emergency is set to last until 8 tomorrow morning. Adams told people to stay where they are if they are safe.

The Yankees-Rays game resumed about 5:25 p.m. after a rain delay of about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Only a handful of fans stuck out the weather delay. New York leads, 7-4, in the top of the sixth inning.

Emergency responders in Maryland rescued multiple people from flooded vehicles.

In Joppatowne, submerged vehicles could be seen on a highway in video shared online by the Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company, which worked to bring drivers to safety.

Cars are stuck in water in Potomac, said Montgomery County Fire & Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer, who shared about the rescues on social media and urged drivers to be careful.

Officials in Maryland also pre-emptively closed roads prone to flooding, shuttered schools and libraries early and opened emergency shelters as more thunderstorms were expected across the state this evening.

Thunderstorms are causing major disruptions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). The FAA has issued ground stops at both airports until at least 6 p.m. ET.

Before operations were grounded, DCA was reporting average delays of more than four hours for incoming flights and nearly two hours for departing flights. Meanwhile, at BWI, departures were delayed more than an hour, on average, before the ground stop.

Despite heavy rain and storm conditions, plenty of drivers appeared to be taking to the waterlogged roads in Montclair, New Jersey this afternoon.

Passengers trying to fly out of the New York City region's three largest airports — Newark Liberty, JFK and LaGuardia — face delays of more than an hour thanks to the thunderstorms.

Those flying out of Newark are, on average, delayed 1 hour, 45 minutes to 1 hour, 59 minutes, and delay times are decreasing.

Delays at JFK are a bit shorter — on average, 1 hour, 16 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes — but wait times are going up because of the weather. Delays are similar at LaGuardia.

Those flying into the area might have it worse, as all inbound flights are being held until weather improves. Those flights have been delayed at their origins anywhere from 2 hours, 30 minutes to 3 hours, 38 minutes on average.

Inbound flights to LaGuardia will resume at 4:45 p.m. and to Newark at 5 p.m.

A large section of Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive, one of the major thoroughfares in New York City, was shut down ahead of the evening commute.

Northbound lanes of the FDR, which runs along the eastern edge of Manhattan, were closed at Houston Street because of "a flooding condition," police said just before 4 p.m.

Up to 4 inches of rain have already fallen over parts of Maryland and Washington, with heavy rain expected to continue, according to the National Weather Service.

"Monitor low areas & drainages for rapid rises. Seek high ground if needed," the agency wrote on X. Several communities northeast of Baltimore reported flooding earlier this afternoon, according to the NWS, including Perry Hall, Honeygo, Joppatowne, Kingsville and Edgewood.

Severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings remain across much of Maryland through this evening. Gusts up to 70 mph are also expected in some areas.

Heavy rains could easily flood New York City subway stations, and riders are being asked to travel with care.

The sewers that serve the country’s busiest mass transit service are built to handle no more than 1.75 inches of water per hour.

It was just two weeks ago when wild scenes illustrated how fast subway tunnels and platforms can fill with water.

The National Weather Service issued flood warnings for much of New York City, telling residents of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island to be careful on the way home this evening.

Until at least 6:15 p.m., New York City can expect heavy rain, 1 to 3 inches, that could flood highways, streets, underpasses and low-lying spots with poor drainage.

More specifically, the NWS told everyone in basements to move to higher ground and urged drivers to steer clear of areas where water has covered the roadway.

Residents of southeast Pennsylvania and their New Jersey and Delaware neighbors braced for storms that could be bring flooding and even isolated tornadoes.

"Flash floods and thunderstorms are expected to impact our region this afternoon into tonight," according to power supplier PECO, warning residents to never drive through flooded roads and to avoid downed trees and power lines.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to declare a state of emergency for much of metropolitan New York City, with heavy rains and flash floods expected to drench the region this afternoon and Friday morning.

New York, Bronx, Delaware, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties are expected to be a part of this emergency declaration.

“I am urging all New Yorkers to stay vigilant, stay informed, and use caution as we expect excessive rainfall with the potential for flash flooding,” Hochul said in a statement.

“State agencies are on standby for heavy downpours and localized flooding and will be monitoring the situation in real-time to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers in the path of the storm.” 

It's the bottom of the fifth with the Bronx Bombers up 7-4 on the Tampa Bay Rays and the Yankee Stadium tarp taking center stage right now.

It's hard to imagine how this game could continue.

Though with the home team up and visitors having had five turns to hit, the game would be official.

Massive swaths of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic braced for torrential downpours, strong winds and flash foods going into rush hour and throughout the night.

About 48 million reside in areas under flood warnings, with some parts of the region set to endure up to 1 to 3 inches of rain per hour.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 8 p.m. from northern Virginia to New York City, with scattered high, damaging winds up to 65 mph and hail that could be more than an inch in diameter.