FourLeaf Air Show canceled due to state of emergency on Long Island, flooding concerns
JONES BEACH, New York (WABC) -- Both Nassau and Suffolk counties are under a state of emergency on Long Island as the second day of the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach had to be canceled.
On Sunday there were an estimated 260,000 people at Jones Beach for the first day of the air show. Even the practice session drew more than 120,000 people to the beach on Friday.
Monday should have been the big finale of the weekend's 250th anniversary celebrations, but that could not happen because of the wet weather.
The New York State Office of Parks said the planes cannot operate safely in these conditions because of poor visibility.
Monday's weather was already packing a punch. There were more than 4,500 power outages across Nassau and Suffolk counties as of noon, and 400 trees have fallen, according to PSEG.
Gov. Kathy Hochul was on Long Island Monday and spoke about the severe weather.
She says the main concern now is the flash flood warnings for Monday and Tuesday.
"Blink and it's there. That's how you describe what a flash flood is. There is no time to prepare for it. It is something that comes up unexpectedly, and it can be very, very dangerous," Hochul said. "That's what we are up against here on Long Island. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms could bring enough rain to this region for flash flooding. And it is not even known where it hits. So, what we've already done at the state level is coordinate with local emergency management teams, preparing for the worst."
Hochul warned residents to steer clear of streets with water in them, which is hard to avoid if you live in one of the low-lying south shore towns like Lindenhurst.
"Anytime we have a high tide, full moon, heavy rain, this is what we can expect," one resident said. "I'm lucky, I have an 8-foot elevation on my house but out front you can see it's about foot and a half to two feet."
The governor said crews are still out cleaning up from Saturday and Sunday's storm.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
