Hochul Declares State of Emergency

In the late hours of Monday evening, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State Disaster Emergency in advance of a torrential rainstorm that is currently pelting the empire state. Heavy rainfall is now impacting the Capital Region, Long Island, New York City, Mid-Hudson and Southern Tier regions and is expected to continue until Wednesday morning. Rainfall totals of four or more inches may impact these regions, with several areas expected to see more than one inch of rain per hour, creating the potential for flash flooding.

The Declaration covers Bronx, Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Greene, Kings, Montgomery, Nassau, New York, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Schenectady, Schoharie, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Ulster, Westchester, and contiguous counties.

“I am proactively declaring a State of Emergency to ensure we can provide the necessary resources to respond to this storm and protect lives and property in regions where the forecast is calling for significant rainfall,” Governor Hochul said. “I am encouraging New Yorkers to prepare now for inclement weather expected over the coming days and urging commuters to take precaution ahead of heavy rainfall expected tomorrow morning.”

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch which is currently in effect for the several regions through Tuesday afternoon. For a complete listing of weather advisories in your area, visit your area’s National Weather Service website.

Earlier Monday, Governor Hochul directed State agencies involved in emergency response to prepare assets for deployment to impacted regions.