A powerful coastal storm is unleashing heavy rain and potentially damaging winds across the Tri-State area with significant flooding in vulnerable coastal areas.
Bands of rain spread over the area on Sunday, but heavy rainfall with gusty winds continued into Monday, impacting the morning commute.
More than 40,000 customers were reported to be without power in New Jersey. Drivers became stranded when they attempted to drive through water that had flooded a local roadway in Newark. Rescue crews had to pull them from their vehicles to safety.
New York City issued a travel advisory, urging people to limit travel and stay indoors if they can during the worst of the storm.
Alternate-side parking regulations are suspended on Monday as well.
A citywide Flood Watch is in effect until 5 p.m. Monday.
Major airports remained open, however, there were many flights canceled or delayed at area airports.
Before it’s all said and done, the Tri-State area could get as much as 2 to 4 inches of rain, with inland areas expecting more, and wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph, with the strongest across Long Island and southeastern Connecticut.
It is those coastal sections where concerns are greatest for flooding.
Coastal areas of Long Island could see flooding of moderate to significant impact, with between 1.5 to 2.5 feet during the morning and midday high-tide cycles on Monday.
The storm dumped up to five inches of rain across Florida, flooding streets and forcing the cancellation of boat parades and other holiday celebrations before moving up the East Coast and causing coastal flooding in South Carolina on Sunday.
The storm soaked Charleston, South Carolina, with about 4 inches of rain, while the Charleston tide gauge was at 9.62 feet by midday Sunday, making it the highest nontropical tide on record, media outlets reported. Dozens of roads were closed because of flooding in the city. Heavy rainfall was expected in several counties across South Carolina.
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