New York declared a state of emergency due to flooding.

Sudden heavy rains in the northeastern United States caused severe flooding across large areas of New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley on September 29 (local time). This situation prompted New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams to declare a state of emergency.

With up to 127mm of rain falling in southern New York early Friday morning, many city streets and more than half of the city's subway system were closed during the morning rush hour.

MetroNorth rail service in the Hudson Valley has been shut down in parts. Several major highways running through Long Island, Queens and Brooklyn are also impassable due to flooding.

Videos posted on social media showed torrential rains lashing subway stations and even buses, residential areas seemingly submerged and park roads turned into lakes, with cars bobbing up and down after heavy rain.

Officials in Hochul and Adams both warned New Yorkers to stay indoors due to “extreme weather.” The governor said the state has now been upgraded to a 70% risk of flash flooding, with rainfall of more than 25mm per hour possible.

She also advised drivers to avoid flooded roads and roads that may be flooded. “If you are driving and you start to see water on the road, you need to get off that road,” she told 1010WINS.

“If you are at home, stay there. If you are at work or at school, shelter in place,” Mayor Adams advised, after consulting with the governor and declaring a state of emergency for New York City himself.

Rain, even heavy rain, is not unusual in New York City. But the extensive damage caused by recent storms has fueled speculation about the cause of the extreme weather. While some have been quick to blame climate change, a study published in May by the University of Rhode Island found that the combined weight of New York City's more than 100 million buildings is causing the city to sink by up to 2 millimeters per year. This makes what was once a routine weather phenomenon now a catastrophic event.

The Hudson Valley was hit by a “once-in-a-lifetime rainfall event” earlier this year when more than 8 inches of rain fell in three hours in July, washing away highways, homes and killing at least one person.

An AP-NORC poll conducted earlier this month found that experiencing extreme weather has made more Americans believe in human-caused climate change.

After a summer that the World Meteorological Organization declared to be the hottest on record, 10% more respondents agreed that the changes were mainly the result of human activity.