Heavy rain floods roads, cancels flights across NYC metro region

Pounding rain brought delayed trains, canceled planes and whole lot of pain for travelers Sunday night.

The ferocious thunderstorm that hit the tri-state area flooded roadways and caused long lines at airports as 3 to 5 inches of rain were dumped across the region. Shocking footage and images showed cars battling rising waters as city officials sounded the alarm across the five boroughs.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for northwest Suffolk County early Monday morning as between 4 to 6 inches of rain have fallen.

“This is a life threatening situation. Seek higher ground now!” the NWS New York X posted.

Drivers on major highways in parts of Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens dealt with standing water that closed down at least one lane of traffic on some roads, according to the NYPD .

The 86th Street Traverse in Central Park was impassable due to flood waters under the bridge, according to the NYPD.

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Video shared on X showed rainwater flowing into tony Chelsea Market as shoppers hopped over a quickly growing river inside its concourse.

Parts of the Garden State Parkway were underwater, according to traffic cameras, while other social media images showed cars attempting to navigate the rapidly rising waters on the highway earlier Sunday.

Fast-moving rain also swept away cars in the town of Oxford, Conn., while others appeared to be submerged, according to a WTNH reporter .

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In nearby Southbury, a man with a prosthetic leg and his dog were rescued by a good Samaritan after their vehicle was caught up in floodwaters, a wild video tweeted by Fox 61 meteorologist Ryan Breton showed .

Travelers stood in long lines at LaGuardia Airport as dozens of flights were called off because of the lousy weather.

Footage shows weary fliers stranded with suitcases and bags as they try to sort out their next move. Some resorted to sitting and even lying down on the floor while scrolling through their phones.

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Both LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airport stated Sunday afternoon into evening weather conditions were disrupting flights at both airports. The NYPD also warned there would be flight disruptions at JFK Airport.

Amtrak service was also affected, with rail service between New York and Philadelphia temporarily suspended because of flooding in Newark.

The rain came down so hard at one point Sunday evening that it dumped more than an inch of water in Central Park, according to Scott Homan, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.

Other parts of the tristate area are facing as high as 5 inches of rain, he said.

The rain should taper off late Sunday night into early Monday before more thunderstorms reach the Big Apple in the afternoon, according to Homan.

Swimming at all Brooklyn beaches, Rockaway beaches and Riis Beach were prohibited Monday due to rip currents.

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