Storms ease following flash flooding, delayed flights from New York
NEW YORK -- Flight delays eased around midnight Saturday morning at three New York City-area airports after thunderstorms wreaked havoc on Memorial Day weekend travel.
The weather cleared somewhat Saturday, with clouds expected, along with the chance for a shower or thunderstorm. A thunderstorm was also possible Sunday, but Monday appeared to be clear.
The FAA said as of midnight Saturday, departure delays were averaging 60 to 75 minutes at La Guardia and Newark. Kennedy had minimal outbound delays. Flights headed to the airports were held up no more than 15 minutes. Hundreds of flights into the New York area were already off to a late start due to the storms.
FlightAware reported 193 cancelled and 943 delayed arrivals and departures as of midnight. Fierce storms rolled through the area starting around 7:30 p.m. They were forecast to continue throughout the night.
Friday night, water was rising on the streets of Newark. Cars were either stuck, or barely making it through. In one part of the city, drivers sat helplessly in traffic as they watched what looked like a tsunami gush towards their cars.
The northbound side of Route 21 was flooded when water rushed in between two cement barriers. Piles of mud and rocks left behind a clear sign of how fast the current was moving.
A flash flood warning was in effect for most of the night for Manhattan and Northern New Jersey. The New York City fire department says it aided a car in three-feet of water on a Queens highway around 5 p.m.
