New York City is hit by FLOODS with West Side Highway left underwater… as Storm Gerri pounds Midwest with snow and forecasters warn of upcoming Arctic blast
New York City was hit by flooding on Saturday morning, leaving boardwalks and highways underwater and the Hudson River Park along the piers closed.
High tides flooded the West Side Highway and flooded hiking trails after New York’s governor declared a state of emergency ahead of predicted snow and an impending Arctic explosion.
Photos and videos shared by social media users show waves lapping over walkways and buildings along the Hudson and East rivers in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
A coastal flood warning is in effect until 3 p.m. Saturday as the National Weather Service warns of up to eight feet of flooding above ground level along the coastline and waterfront.
Much of the country will experience record cold as Major Winter Storm Gerry moves from Canada across the Northern and Central Plains, bringing up to three feet of snow to parts of Michigan and New York.
New York City was hit by flooding on Saturday morning, leaving boardwalks and highways underwater and Hudson River Park along piers closed
High tides flooded the West Side Highway and flooded hiking trails after New York’s governor declared a state of emergency ahead of predicted snow and an impending explosion in the Arctic
Photos and videos shared by social media users show waves lapping over walkways and buildings along the Hudson and East rivers in Manhattan and Brooklyn
In a video shared by photographer Max Guliani, numerous walkways on the west side of Manhattan were flooded against the backdrop of skyscrapers.
One person living in New York wrote in a comment, “Dude, it’s crazy that our dock was level with the pier today. In the twelve years I’ve worked in the park, I’ve never seen that before.’
Many other users were shocked on the ground and said they had canceled their plans to run near the Hudson River.
Water crashed violently against roads and buildings in Lower Manhattan, as shared by social media user Catherine Hughes.
Ferries from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty have also been delayed due to high tides in New York Harbor.
At least three parts of Hudson Tiver Park were closed Saturday morning because the walkway between Pier 51 on 12th St and Pier 40 on Houston St was flooded, as reported by the Gothamist.
“The tide is high, so we are closed for people’s safety,” Miguel Quintero, a temporary worker for the park, told the outlet.
He closed parts of the boardwalk, saying, “It gets really slippery, so we’re just closing it for public safety.”
‘The waves are super choppy. Yet people still walk through it. The water comes right up over the walkway and floods the entire walkway,” said resident Alyssa Perrugini, who jogs along the Hudson River path every weekend.
Water crashed violently against roads and buildings in Lower Manhattan, as shared by social media user Catherine Hughes
At least three parts of Hudson Tiver Park were closed Saturday morning because the walkway between Pier 51 on 12th St and Pier 40 on Houston St was flooded.
In a video shared by photographer Max Guliani, numerous walkways on the west side of Manhattan were submerged against the backdrop of skyscrapers
Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon, saying the coming storm is “life-threatening.”
“I am declaring a state of emergency in Western New York in anticipation of a life-threatening snowstorm this weekend. We are ready to help those affected,” she wrote.
Since then, parts of Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx, Long Island and New Jersey have been affected.
The governor wrote in another post on Saturday: “Travel will be extremely dangerous in Western New York tonight. A complete travel ban begins at 9 p.m. in Erie County.”
“Even if there is no snow, stay home and try not to drive. Snow can clear in an instant and create whiteout conditions.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy warned on Friday: “The Passaic River is already well above flood level.
He wrote, “With heavy rain heading our way, temperatures will rise another 5 feet Sunday afternoon – even more than last month’s flooding in Passaic County.”
As noted by the NWS, New Yorkers are advised “not to drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.”
Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon, saying the coming storm is “life-threatening.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy warned on Friday: ‘The Passaic River is already well above flood level
In addition to the Big Apple, many parts of the continental US will experience snowstorms over the next week, with snow and frigid temperatures forecast.
Heavy rain is expected to fall across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, with freezing temperatures reaching as far south as the panhandles of Texas and Florida.
The Weather Channel predicted temperatures in the 20s along the northern Gulf Coast, from East Texas to Florida’s Panhandle.
The NWS also warned of “numerous record low temperatures below freezing that could fall today and tomorrow” as Arctic air moves on Saturday.
“Unfortunately, it appears that dangerously cold weather will continue into next week, with dangerously low temperatures and wind chills continuing at least through midweek,” authorities said.
Snow and wind gusts up to 40 mph will bring snowstorms to the Corn Belt and Great Lake this weekend, disrupting the final stages of the campaign for Monday’s GOP primaries in Iowa.
With record temperatures covering most of the state, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump have all shuffled their schedules ahead of Monday’s presidential election.
The new storm, combined with one earlier this week, also raised concerns about flooding in Maine and New Hampshire.