Strong thunderstorms brought rain to the entire New York area, mostly with precipitation totals of around 25 mm. However, over 150 mm of rain fell in a few hours on Long Island.
The sewers could not handle the water and the streets turned into rivers. Several neighborhoods were flooded, including Brooklyn or Queens.
💧 New York Is Drowning: Streets Turned Into Rivers Within Hours
More than 15 cm (6 inches) of rain fell in just a few hours. Cars are floating away, subway stations are flooding, and people are wading through waist-deep water.
The city that never sleeps… is now simply… pic.twitter.com/rCNzmM8avV
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 21, 2026
Local videos show flooded cars and wading people. During the storms, the situation was further complicated by very strong winds, which reached speeds of up to 100 km/h in gusts.
During Thursday, it should still rain in New York, but there are no longer any strong storms that could bring heavy rainfall.
