More than 4,500 people across New York and New Jersey were left without power Tuesday as a nor’easter drenched the region — dumping around 3 inches of rain on some parts and packing powerful potential wind gusts of up to 45 mph.
About 2.7 inches of rain had fallen in Central Park in Manhattan by early afternoon, and 2.1 inches at LaGuardia Airport in Queens. Newark, NJ, saw a slightly higher total, around 3 inches, the National Weather Service said.
By the time the storm is expected to wrap up Wednesday morning, the region could see a total of 4 to 8 inches, said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Paul Walker.
“Later in the day, the winds are going to be picking up, so the evening commute is not going to be that good, either,” Walker said.
Wind gusts could reach 45 mph by late Tuesday, according to Walker.
Meanwhile, a flash-flood watch remained in effect for the entire tri-state area, according to the National Weather Service.
Part of a subway platform is roped off at Times Square due to water leaking from the ceiling during the nor’easter. REUTERS
A New Yorker smokes a cigarette while holding her umbrella during the storm. REUTERS“I think there’s going to be flooding because of the heavy rains, the drains getting clogged by the leaves, which are going to get ripped off the trees,” Walker said. “And not to mention the ground being saturated by all the rain. So that we could have some possible tree damage, trees coming down.”
Walker urged the public not to drive through flooded roadways.
“A leading cause of death is people getting stranded in these cars and not being able to get out,” he warned.
People hold umbrellas while navigating around puddles in the street near Times Square. REUTERS
The flooded right lane of the eastbound BQE in Brooklyn near Cadman Plaza on October 26, 2021. Robert Mecea
The nor’easter spawned a miserable commute for those trying to get to work in Manhattan. Robert MillerCon Edison reported 1,205 of its customers had lost power as of around 10 a.m.
In the Big Apple, the majority of the outages were in Queens — with 117 people affected early on, according to the utility company.
Ninety-one people were out of power in Brooklyn, two in the Bronx, one in Staten Island, and none in Manhattan.
The nor’easter moved in late October 25, 2021, with high winds and torrential downpours.
Sixty-seven people lost power in Staten Island and only two in Brooklyn.
Several schools in the New York and New Jersey area have closed due to potential flash flooding.
Minor coastal flooding is expected, with “a few pockets” of moderate coastal flooding during times of high tide.
In Westchester, 994 people lost power Tuesday morning.
PSEG Long Island reported 348 customers without power — 315 in Suffolk County, 32 in Nassau and fewer than five on the Rockaway Peninsula.
In New Jersey, PSEG reported 996 people had lost power — with the vast majority, 854, in Essex County.
Meanwhile, Jersey Central Power and Light reported that 1,966 people had lost power — with 1,404 of those customers in Monmouth County.
By Tuesday afternoon, there were about 1,500 customers still in the dark across the power companies.
