The numbers alone don't capture what this storm has done to communities across eastern New York and New Jersey. Cars became islands overnight. In Guilderland, New York, a man waded through waist-deep water to carry a child from a stranded vehicle. In Paterson, New Jersey, at least 20 people — including one person in a wheelchair — were pulled from rising floodwater by emergency crews. In Coalport, Pennsylvania, firefighters rescued three people and two dogs from a flooded residence.

This is a slow-moving system, and that's what makes it so destructive. When rain falls at 1 to 2 inches per hour and the storm barely moves, the ground simply can't absorb what's coming down. Roads turn into rivers. Drainage systems overflow. And the danger builds before most people realize it.

Your Flood Risk Right Now

The storm's extraordinary rainfall totals put this event in rare company. Albany's two-day total at the international airport is now among the largest on record for the city. And Schodack — a community most people outside the Hudson Valley have never heard of — recorded 9.22 inches in a single storm, more than double what the area typically receives across the entire month of July.

That kind of rainfall overwhelms everything: stormwater drains, creek banks, road culverts, and any low-lying areas that normally offer a margin of safety. It also exposes the cumulative risk that comes from building in flood-prone areas without accounting for storms that, as the climate shifts, are arriving more frequently and with more intensity.

How This Storm Unfolded

• Monday–Tuesday — NJ and PA first hit
• Tuesday — 20+ rescued in Paterson, NJ — including a person in a wheelchair
• Tuesday — 3 people and 2 dogs rescued from a flooded home in Coalport, PA
• Tuesday night — Multiple cars stranded in floodwater on Staten Island
• After midnight Wednesday — Two lanes of US 1/9 closed near Pulaski Skyway, Hudson County NJ
• Early Wednesday — State of emergency declared in Columbia County, NY
• Early Wednesday — 200+ flights canceled at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark; 30+ at Boston Logan
• Wednesday — Schodack, NY reaches 9.22 inches — storm's highest total
• Wednesday afternoon — Heavy rain spreads into eastern Massachusetts including Boston
• Wednesday evening — Storm system begins to weaken; flooding risk starts to drop
• Thursday — Level 1 of 5 isolated flood risk lingers from Boston to coastal Maine

Are You Ready for a Flash Flood?

Five questions. Find out how prepared you really are — before the next storm arrives.

You're driving and approach a road covered by water. You can't see the bottom. What do you do?

• Stop and turn around immediately — Right call. Even water that appears shallow can be moving fast enough to sweep a vehicle off the road. Emergency crews staged water rescues across NY, NJ, and PA this week after drivers attempted to cross flooded roads.
• Slow down and drive carefully through — This is the decision most people regret. Waist-deep water was reported on multiple New York roads this week — that's enough to float a car and carry it downstream. The standard guidance is: if you can't see the road surface, don't cross.
• Wait and see if it gets deeper — Waiting on a flooded road puts you at risk of becoming stranded as water rises. Multiple drivers became trapped on New Jersey and New York roads this week when conditions changed rapidly. When in doubt, go back.

Do you have a way to receive flash flood warnings on your phone?

• Yes — wireless emergency alerts are on — Good. Multiple flash flood warnings were issued across the Hudson Valley this week. Wireless emergency alerts can reach you even when you're not actively watching news or weather apps.
• I use a weather app — Weather apps are useful but require you to check them. Wireless emergency alerts automatically interrupt your phone — a key difference when conditions change rapidly, as they did across New York and New Jersey overnight this week.
• No — I rely on the news — The flooding that stranded cars in Guilderland and triggered rescues in Paterson happened overnight and in the early morning hours — times when most people aren't watching news. Enable wireless emergency alerts in your phone settings.

If flooding began reaching your street, do you know your safest exit route?

• Yes — I know two ways out — Having a backup route is critical. Columbia County reported flooding on local, county, AND state roadways simultaneously — meaning a single planned exit could be blocked.
• I have one route in mind — One route may not be enough. The flooding in New York this week shut down multiple road networks at once. Identify a second option on higher ground before the next storm season.
• Not really — I'd figure it out — Improvising a route during active flooding is dangerous. In Columbia County, officials urged residents to avoid all travel entirely once roads flooded. Know your exits before you need them.

Do you have an emergency kit ready to grab if you need to leave quickly?

• Yes — packed and accessible — Well prepared. When rescues happen — like the three people and two dogs pulled from a flooded Pennsylvania home this week — having essentials close at hand makes a difficult moment safer.
• Sort of — I'd need a few minutes to gather things — A few minutes can matter in a fast-rising flood. Flash flooding, by definition, develops rapidly — consider pre-packing medications, documents, phone chargers, and a change of clothes in one accessible bag.
• No — I haven't thought about it — This is the most common gap in flood preparedness. The rescues that happened in New Jersey and New York this week were unplanned emergencies — the people involved had little warning. A simple bag takes 20 minutes to put together.

Do you know whether your home or workplace is in a designated flood zone?

• Yes — I've checked the official flood map — Knowing your flood zone status is the foundation of flood preparedness. The Hudson Valley communities hit hardest this week — Schodack, Guilderland, and areas near Albany — all sit within or adjacent to established flood-prone areas.
• I think I'm fine, but I'm not sure — Assumption is the biggest risk. Over 6 inches of rain fell in parts of the Hudson Valley this week — areas that may not flood often but are still vulnerable when storms stall and intensity spikes.
• I've never checked — FEMA's Flood Map Service Center lets you enter any U.S. address to see official flood zone designations. It takes about two minutes and could change how you think about your home's risk.

This Storm by the Numbers: Where Does It Rank?

What makes this event stand out isn't just the total rainfall — it's the rate. When 1 to 2 inches of rain falls every hour, soil saturation happens in minutes, not hours. Stormwater infrastructure designed for typical heavy rain events gets overwhelmed. And because this system moved slowly, one community after another received the full impact before the storm shifted east.

The arc from New Jersey and Pennsylvania through the Hudson Valley to New England is a textbook slow-mover pattern: the same geographic corridor that funnels nor'easters up the coast in winter becomes a rain highway in summer. Communities that sit in river valleys — or alongside streams that drain quickly rising upland terrain — face the sharpest risk. That's exactly the geography of Schodack, Guilderland, Paterson, and the other communities hit hardest this week.

What To Do Right Now — By Situation

1. Stay off roads until Wednesday evening — Columbia County officials urged residents to avoid all travel. The storm doesn't begin to weaken until Wednesday evening — road conditions can deteriorate faster than forecasts update.
2. Check your flight before heading to any airport — More than 200 flights were canceled at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark combined by early Wednesday, with over 30 canceled at Boston Logan. Confirm your flight status and gate before leaving home.
3. Enable wireless emergency alerts on your phone — Multiple flash flood warnings are in effect across the Hudson Valley. Wireless emergency alerts will interrupt your phone automatically — no app-checking required. Find the setting under Notifications or Safety.
4. Move to higher ground if water approaches your home — Do not wait for an official evacuation order if water is entering your living space. The rescues in Paterson, Coalport, and Guilderland this week all happened when people were caught off-guard by fast-rising water.
5. Never drive through standing or moving floodwater — Water you can't see through can be moving fast enough to carry a vehicle. Waist-deep water was reported on multiple roads this week. Turn around. Every time.

Sources & References

• Primary source: Scripps News — Briana Waxman, Chris Dolce
• FlightAware — Flight cancellations and delays at JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and Boston Logan during the storm event