Heavy rains that have soaked a large swath of the United States over the last several days have spawned flash floods from Arizona to New England, submerging vehicles in parking lots and trapping drivers in their cars.
Over a foot of rain fell on Long Island in New York on Wednesday, forcing the closure of parts of the Long Island Expressway, Southern State Parkway, Northern State Parkway, Jericho Turnpike and other roads. Dozens of cars were seen submerged on the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island, during morning rush hour.
TRAFFIC CAM Cars in flood water on Belmont Ave (exit 37) Long Island @WeatherBug @JimCantore @spann @breakingweather pic.twitter.com/cfpwYq80zP
— MarkVoganWeather.com (@MarkVogan) August 13, 2014
The heavy rains turned the train station parking lot in Bay Shore, Long Island, into a lake.
@JimCantore – LIRR Bay Shore station parking lot… pic.twitter.com/aV1hJC2egQ
— Sal Federico (@SalFederico) August 13, 2014
The same weather system produced torrential rain in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued a “flash flood emergency” for the region, and several people had to be plucked from their cars to escape the floodwaters. Other vehicles were simply abandoned.
https://twitter.com/AlishaClaire/statuses/499267009142857728
Car abandoned after 3 rescued at Beach Dr has now been swept out of view by flood waters.@mcfrs @BCCRS @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/nQtGNqfx0w
— Scott Broom (@scottbroom) August 12, 2014
@JakeBell23 I just got one on ten but I was talking about heading to Dundalk before the bridge pic.twitter.com/aaN3FAe2Vl
— Eugene Klemkowski (@klemski6) August 12, 2014
Baltimore had picked up 6.27 inches of rain, enough to make it “the second-rainiest August day since records began in 1871,” according to USA Today. Photos on social media showed cars swamped in a parking lot at BWI airport.
#flooding at @BWI_Airport long term parking off of aviation Blvd from Trey Palmisano. Radar est. 3"+ rain so far pic.twitter.com/KhsHHhKFJf
— Justin Berk (@JustinWeather) August 12, 2014
Late last week, a flash flood at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska, was caught on video by surveillance cameras. The dramatic footage — which shows a wall of water crashing through locked glass doors and pouring into a cafeteria dining room — was released Tuesday.According to KHGI, “nine feet of gushing water overwhelmed the hospital building” but did not reach patient areas. No one was hurt, and the hospital remains open.
Meanwhile in Arizona, monsoon conditions flooded roads near Phoenix, where firefighters rescued motorists from six cars stranded in floodwater. High winds even blew away a trampoline.
Man oh man! The Southwest is drying up … find a way to watershed this water for future use! It’s exactly what we need just not all at once.
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