City preparing for more heavy rain

Update: the National Weater Service has lifted a flood watch for Long Island. Showers and possibly a thunderstorm are expected before midnight, however, then showers likely. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent, new rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

City officials are preparing for more heavy rain that is expected to hit the area on Thursday evening, less than a week after a flash flood event delivered more than a foot of water in Long Beach that created a traffic nightmare and trapped some motorists on flooded streets.

A flash flood watch was in effect for Long Island through Friday evening, and city workers are clearing storm drain covers as well as clearing any potential blockages that may exist throughout the city’s system of over 1,600 storm drains, officials said in a statement on Facebook.

The National Weather Service said that the storm system approaching from the Ohio valley will pass south and east of Long Island and is expected to produce heavy rain at times, with rainfall totals ranging from 2 to 4 inches in some areas that could result in poor drainage flooding. Some meteorologists, however, said that the worst of the rain on Thursday may have already passed.

“Bear in mind that when rain is heavy for a consistent duration, storm drain systems can back up as a result,” the city said. “Drainage systems are designed to handle average rainfall, and when rain is heavy it takes time for the system to catch up with the amount of water falling. Crews will be out all night during this weather event monitoring the drainage system, but flooding should be expected as this storm is projected to bring intense rainfall amounts over a short amount of time. This is not a situation unique to Long Beach, and residents should be wary of flooding wherever they may be travelling this evening.”

As Tropical Storm Andrea made its way up the East Coast last Friday, flooding wreaked havoc on a community that is still reeling from Hurricane Sandy. Firefighters responded to roughly 20 emergency calls ranging from drivers who were trapped in their vehicles on flooded streets to a number of car accidents. Parts of Park Avenue, Broadway and many other streets were underwater, with some roads closed due to severe flooding.