Continued rain and widespread flash flooding are expected in New York and New England on Monday, a day after heavy rains left homes, stranded vehicles, impassable roads and caused other damage in the Hudson Valley on Sunday.
Officials said at least one person died. State Senator James Skoufis, who represents Orange County, said the victim was a woman in her 30s, but the circumstances surrounding her death were still unclear.
More rain is expected in northeastern parts on Monday. There is a high probability of heavy rain across the Champlain Valley and northern Vermont, where the longest wet season will occur.
Generally, these showers are concerning in their own right. But forecasters at the Weather Forecast Center said 200 to 300 percent of normal precipitation has fallen over much of central and northern New England over the past 14 days. Streams are already running unusually fast, some with all-time record runs. So even a little rain will worsen the situation.
According to the National Weather Service, the Hudson Valley recorded up to eight inches of rain in some areas of the storm’s impact on Sunday. West Point, the US military academy, was hit hard, and much of the road leading to it was destroyed, according to people documenting the storm on social media.
Trooper Steven V. of the New York State Police. Other roads were also impassable, including parts of the heavily traveled Palisades Interstate Parkway, and several bridges collapsed, according to Newell.
An Amtrak train bound for New York City was halted Sunday evening as it neared Poughkeepsie, an Amtrak employee reported a “complete washout of both tracks” south of the city, preventing any travel on the train.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Sunday, and later expanded it to include much of the state. “If you are in an area affected by the storm tonight, please stay off the roads and take steps to stay safe.” He said on Twitter.
Flash flood warnings were in effect Monday morning, including for Rockland County and northern Westchester County, according to the National Weather Service. The service also predicted more heavy rain that could result in “life-threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.”
County officials, police departments and other agencies issued dozens of flood-triggered emergency calls Sunday. Trooper Newell described the search and rescue efforts as an “all hands” effort.