Flash flood wreaks havoc on Long Island

Some major roads still dealing with partial closures

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Long Island was doused with inches of rain Tuesday night, and though a flash flood created harrowing scenes of stranded motorists along major highways, Long Beach seemed to avoid the worst of it.

Though some agencies reported that 13 inches of rain fell overnight in some locations on Long Island, the National Weather Service’s website showed that Long Beach had about 2.5 inches of rainfall for that time period, which caused some flooding in parts of the city.

A flash flood warning was issued late Tuesday into early Wednesday in preparation of the heavy showers, and a coastal flood advisory stayed in effect until 2 p.m. on Wednesday.


The flooding was far worse further east on the island, causing closures on 11 major highways, like the Southern State Parkway, the Wantagh State Parkway and Sunrise Highway in Eastern Nassau and Suffolk counties. While most highways reopened around 3 p.m., the Wantagh State Parkway between exits 4 and 5 remains closed in both directions, and one lane of the northbound Meadowbrook Parkway, just north of the Loop Parkway remains closed due to flood damage. Motorists are urged to call 511 or check www.511ny.org for the latest information on road closures before driving to ensure safe travel, especially during this evening’s commute.

The city geared up for the storm last night, with storm crews monitoring storm drains throughout the city, especially in the most vulnerable areas, like the North Park area and the bayside of the island.

“Public Works crews were out overnight working to relieve flooding until the channel receded,” Gordon Tepper, the city’s director of communications, said on Wednesday morning. “Long Beach roads are now passable, while the last hot spots are still being attended to.”

Long Beach roads were passable by 9 a.m., the city said, while the last of the hardest hit places were still being working on through the morning. The heavy rain made for a rough commute — flooding was reported on Lido Boulevard — and the city encouraged drivers to be cautious as they ventured out to other areas on Long Island, where the damage was worse.

One resident said that he observed people along Riverside Boulevard draining their basements with hoses on Wednesday morning, but added that in other areas, the flooding was not as bad.

Additionally, Chief of Lifeguards Paul Gillespie closed the beaches on Wednesday due to the rough ocean conditions. The beach remained closed to swimmers all day, but opened back up to surfers around noon.