Flash flooding kills 2 in New York City as powerful storm system now blasts region with strong winds
Rescue divers with the New York City Fire Department were called into Brooklyn during the storms when a person was trapped in a flooded basement. Another person died in a flooded boiler room.
Strong winds slam Northeast day after deadly flash flooding in New York City
Wind Advisories remain for over 55 million people Friday as a powerful low pressure center swirls through New England.
NEW YORK – Two people were killed in New York City on Thursday when an intense line of storms dumped torrential rain across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, triggering widespread flash flooding.
Rescue divers with the New York City Fire Department were called into Brooklyn during the storms when a person was trapped in a flooded basement. The person was taken to a local hospital, where they were later pronounced dead, FDNY officials told FOX Weather.
Flash flooding hits Chelsea area of New York City
Heavy rains and coastal flooding are causing problems around the New York City area. Several inches of water have flooded the Westside Highway in Chelsea
In a separate incident in Manhattan, another person was found unconscious inside a flooded boiler room and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to NYPD officials.
Videos from witnesses around the New York City area showed several flooded streets with water halfway up passing vehicles' tires as those walking on the sidewalks struggled to keep dry.
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Image 1 of 5NEW JERSEY, USA - OCTOBER 30: Severe flooding hit Palisades Medical Center in Hudson County, New Jersey, on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. Hospital staff and patients attempted to reach their vehicles submerged in floodwaters after heavy rains inundated the area. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 2 of 5NEW JERSEY, USA - OCTOBER 30: Severe flooding hit Palisades Medical Center in Hudson County, New Jersey, on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. Hospital staff and patients attempted to reach their vehicles submerged in floodwaters after heavy rains inundated the area. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 3 of 5NEW JERSEY, USA - OCTOBER 30: Severe flooding hit Palisades Medical Center in Hudson County, New Jersey, on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. Hospital staff and patients attempted to reach their vehicles submerged in floodwaters after heavy rains inundated the area. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 4 of 5NEW JERSEY, USA - OCTOBER 30: Severe flooding hit Palisades Medical Center in Hudson County, New Jersey, on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. Hospital staff and patients attempted to reach their vehicles submerged in floodwaters after heavy rains inundated the area. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 5 of 5People walk in the rain on October 30, 2025 New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
Storm spotters reported flooding around the city, with both parts of the George Washington Bridge and the JFK Expressway temporarily closed due to flooded lanes.
A child rescued from flooded car in Bayonne, New Jersey on Oct. 30, 2025.
(Bayonne (NJ) OEM / FOX Weather)
NYPD reported they had to rescue a person from a flooded car in Brooklyn on 9th Smith Street while water came up to car door depths in Midland and Riverdale, the NWS said.
Rain gauges at LaGuardia Airport showed a whopping 0.25 inches fell in just 7 minutes and 1.04 inches in just 50 minutes.
Heavy rainfall causes flash flooding in New York City
FLASH FLOODING: Intense rainfall impacted New York City on Thursday causing Brooklyn to look more like a swamp than a city. Several streets were closed and air traffic was snarled.
Overall, rain gauges around the region showed between 1 and 1.5 inches falling in an hour, with storm totals pushing 2-2.5 inches, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Central Park recorded 1.83" of rain on Thursday which is a new daily rain total, breaking a 114-year-old record. All major reporting sites around the New York City broke daily rain records as well, the FOX Forecast Center said.
A Flash Flood Warning was issued across the New York City area until 5:30 p.m. ET for continued heavy rainfall.
Aside from covering streets and sidewalks, the heavy rains made life miserable for travelers at the region's three major airports.
Over 1,000 flights were canceled between JFK International, LaGuardia and Newark-Liberty, and flight delays for those still scheduled averaged about 3-4 hours.
The heavy rains were part of a large low pressure system that swept into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, including Philadelphia and Baltimore.
FLOOD WATCH, WARNING AND EMERGENCY: HERE ARE THE DIFFERENCES THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
In Philadelphia, the National Weather Service said that a person was killed in the area after a tree fell on their car.
Damaging wind gusts possible in storm's wake for Halloween
The heavy rains are gone, but the storm system has a lingering punch, leaving strong winds in its wake.
Wind Advisories cover 55 million people across much of the Northeast and New England through Friday night for widespread gusts of 40-45 mph, with some isolated gusts as high as 50 mph.
(FOX Weather)
The strong low pressure area associated with Thursday's rains is now producing a tight pressure gradient across the region, leading to stronger winds.
On the backside of the storm, temperatures around 5,000 feet are much colder, and that dense cold air will sink rapidly to the ground and thus the sinking air will increase wind gusts even more.
Gusts late Thursday hit 58 in Norwalk, Connecticut, 57 mph in Sea Bright, New Jersey, while JFK Airport in New York City hit 53 mph and LaGuardia Airport hit 52 mph, according to the NWS.
Top Wind Gusts Oct. 30
Gusts in New York City reached 40-45 mph, with some marine stations near Staten Island recording gusts of 58 mph.