As flash flooding hits NYC, what to expect in Middletown, Poughkeepsie

Mike Randall, Middletown Times Herald- Record
Updated ·2 min read

Travel was severely disrupted Friday as heavy rain and flooding hit the Hudson Valley. Metro-North service announced delays and in Poughkeepsie, trains bound for Grand Central instead planned to stop at Yankee Stadium.

The National Weather Service issued flood watches for Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties. All of them are now scheduled to expire at 4 p.m. A flood advisory for Dutchess County also is scheduled to expire at 4 p.m.

However, the National Weather Service said a flood warning for Orange County and a flood advisory for Ulster County will remain in effect until further notice.

Seagulls loaf in a puddle at Waryas Park in the City of Poughkeepsie on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains for Friday and Saturday are expected to cause flooding.
Seagulls loaf in a puddle at Waryas Park in the City of Poughkeepsie on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains for Friday and Saturday are expected to cause flooding.

Among the communities expected to see at least minor flooding are Poughkeepsie, Beacon, Pawling, Hyde Park, Pleasant Valley, Wappingers Falls, Amenia, Fishkill, Millbrook and Wingdale in Dutchess County, and New Paltz, Milton, Plattekill and the hamlet of Wallkill in Ulster County.

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The region saw anywhere from half an inch to 1.5 inches of rain fall during the morning, and another 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected before the storm ends later today. One-half to one inch of rain per hour was falling at peak times during the storm, according to the weather service.

A total of 3 to 5 inches of rain is expected, with local totals in some areas as high as 5 to 7 inches. Flash flooding is possible, especially in low-lying areas, the weather service said.

The Fallkill Creek rushes toward the Hudson River near Water Street in the City of Poughkeepsie on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains on Friday and Saturday are expected to cause flooding.
The Fallkill Creek rushes toward the Hudson River near Water Street in the City of Poughkeepsie on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains on Friday and Saturday are expected to cause flooding.

NYC flooding closes public transportation, highways

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency across New York City, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley Friday, "due to the extreme rainfall we’re seeing throughout the region."

The storms started in the Hudson Valley around 2 a.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service, and the intensity of the storms continued throughout the morning. A flash flood warning was issued for Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties.

Seagulls loaf in a puddle at Waryas Park in the City of Poughkeepsie on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains for Friday and Saturday are expected to cause flooding.
Seagulls loaf in a puddle at Waryas Park in the City of Poughkeepsie on September 29, 2023. Heavy rains for Friday and Saturday are expected to cause flooding.

Some public transportation and highways in and around New York City were closed Friday.

The Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines on the Metro North Railroad were all suspended between the Bronx and Grand Central Terminal because of flooding on the tracks. Some subway lines in New York City were also experiencing flooding.

So far, Dutchess County is the only county where any significant power outages have been seen. Central Hudson is reporting 506 homes and businesses in that county without power. The utility expects to have that power restored by 7 p.m.

The Journal News reporter Alexandra River contributed to this report.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Flash flooding hits NYC: What to expect in Middletown, Poughkeepsie