Parts of North Jersey experienced a ”once-in-a-generation” rainfall Sunday morning, with flash floods closing roads and forcing water rescues.
Bergen and Passaic counties, which have experienced repeated flash flood events throughout this summer, were hit hard once again. A Rutgers University weather station in North Haledon recorded more than 4 inches of rain in the three hours between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Localized flooding was also reported in Westchester County, New York, and across several towns in Connecticut.
Social media video captured firefighters rescuing people from a car trapped in floodwaters in Paterson. Other water rescues were reported in Westwood, Closter and Fair Lawn.
“The atmosphere was completely saturated and ‘juiced up,’” John Krasting, New Jersey’s state climatologist, said in a statement.
“Once the rain started, it just didn’t let up. Parts of Passaic and Bergen counties took it on the chin, once again,” Krasting said. “Our preliminary estimates are that this is at least a once-in-a-generation event in towns such as North Haledon, Haworth, and Little Falls.”
By 12:30 p.m., the rainfall total in North Haledon was almost 5 inches. Totals around 4.5 inches were also reported in Little Falls and Haworth.
Paramus experienced widespread road closures from flooding, Mayor Chris DiPiazza posted on social media.
The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for much of the region that was in effect through the morning. Flash flood warnings were also issued for isolated places as the weather system moved through.
Forecasters expect dry conditions with seasonable weather Monday through Wednesday, with a chance of rain returning on Thursday.
The rain began in the early hours Sunday morning, driven by a warm front moving up from the south, according to James Tomasini, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service’s New York office.
The threat of flooding remains in some places even after the rain. Both the Hackensack and Saddle Rivers are forecast to spill their banks Sunday because of the storm’s runoff.
The morning rain flooded roads along the parkways in Westchester County and forced the closing of Rye Playland. News12 Westchester reported several roads in the Sound Shore communities inundated by stormwater.
In New York City, work crews were out ahead of the storm, clearing catch basins, and authorities opened dozens of overnight shelters to take in people concerned about flooding in their homes. But the city was mostly spared, with less than an inch of precipitation falling in Central Park.
