New York state of emergency: These areas under flash flood warning; NJ Transit on alert

Governor Kathy Hochul is set to declare a state of emergency today for multiple New York counties amid flash flood warnings

Updated on: Aug 1, 2025, 01:43:59 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Governor Kathy Hochul is set to declare a state of emergency today for multiple New York counties, including the Bronx, Delaware, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester. This comes as the National Weather Service (NWS) has upgraded the flash flooding risk to moderate, with up to a 70 percent chance of significant flooding.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a news conference (AP)

The declaration comes as torrential rain, potentially delivering up to five inches in the heaviest bands, threatens downstate New York, particularly the Mid-Hudson, New York City, and Long Island regions, starting Thursday afternoon and extending into Friday.

Rainfall rates could exceed two inches per hour, posing risks to the Thursday evening commute, with employers urged to release workers early to avoid delays.

Flood watches are in effect for New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley through Friday afternoon, with the heaviest rain expected to fall in three to six hours from Thursday afternoon into the night.

The NWS forecasts one to three inches of rain to be widespread, with isolated areas possibly seeing five inches, and rates of one to two inches per hour, with some exceeding two inches. This could lead to impassable roads, especially around underpasses and poorly drained areas, and flood basements and subways, overwhelming NYC sewers.

The Southern Tier, Capital Region, and Upper Mid-Hudson Regions may see up to two inches of rain, adding to the statewide concern.

The state has released non-essential employees in New York City, Sullivan, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties at 1:00 p.m. to mitigate commute risks.

“I am urging all New Yorkers to stay vigilant, stay informed, and use caution as we expect excessive rainfall with the potential for flash flooding,” Governor Hochul said. “State agencies are on standby for heavy downpours and localized flooding and will be monitoring the situation in real-time to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers in the path of the storm.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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