New York City's Extreme Weather Challenge: A Look at the Recent Storm

Severe Flooding and Disruptions

New York City faced a powerful storm that caused severe flooding, breaking over a century-old rainfall records.

• Central Park: Highest rainfall in more than 100 years.
• Other Areas: LaGuardia and Newark airports also set new records.
• Casualties: At least two deaths in Brooklyn and Upper Manhattan, with two men found in flooded basements.
• Transportation: Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted major airports, subways, and NJ Transit.

Infrastructure Struggles

The city's infrastructure struggled to handle the intense rainfall.

• DEP Statement: Climate change has brought extreme weather that the city's systems were not designed to manage.
• Recent Storms: The four most intense storms in NYC's history have occurred in the last four years.
• Rainfall Rate: The recent storm dumped 1 inch of rain in just 10 minutes, overwhelming the sewer system, which can only handle 1.75 inches per hour.

Record-Breaking Rainfall

• Central Park: Broke its daily record with 1.83 inches, surpassing the previous record from 1917.
• LaGuardia Airport: Saw 2.09 inches, breaking a record set in 1955.
• Newark Airport: Recorded 2.04 inches, also breaking a record set in 1955.
• Other Areas: Islip on Long Island and Bridgeport, Connecticut, also set new records. Some places experienced over 3 inches of rain, with Greenwich, Connecticut, reporting 3.90 inches.

Strong Winds and Future Forecast

• Peak Gusts: Reached up to 57 mph in Sea Bright, New Jersey, and 53 mph at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
• Halloween Forecast: Strong winds returning, with gusts ranging from 35-50 mph, posing a threat of downed trees and power lines. Temperatures will be in the mid-50s, but the strong winds will make it feel much colder.
• NYC Marathon: The weather will be more favorable, with brighter skies and temperatures near normal.