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A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC. Gothamist Listen Live Donate News Slow-moving storms could dump up to 7 inches of rain on parts of New York City By Brittany Kriegstein Published Jul 28, 2026 at 8:39 a.m. ET
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Weather forecasters are warning that parts of New York City could see a whopping five to seven inches of rainfall as slow-moving storms are set to roll through Tuesday night into Wednesday.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for New York and parts of New Jersey through 8 p.m. Wednesday, with the heaviest rain expected Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday morning.
Meteorologist Bryan Ramsey said some of the flooding could be “potentially life-threatening,” as some of the storms could drop two to three inches of rain per hour.
“Even an inch an hour can cause minor flood issues in the New York City Metro Area,” he said, “so when you're approaching two to three inches per hour, or at least potentially, that's when you could start seeing some real flood issues.”
Most of the city and surrounding areas can expect to see at least three inches of rain by the time the flood watch expires Wednesday night. Ramsey said the abnormally high five-to-seven inch totals will apply to isolated areas wherever multiple storms set up one after the other.
“ There's no guarantee on exactly where that's going to happen, but there's a pretty equal risk across the metro area of it happening, so that's kind of why we're highlighting that as a concern,” he said.
Besides heavy downpours, the weather forecast also shows the potential for strong thunderstorms to develop, which could bring damaging winds up to 60 or 70 miles per hour.
“The main risk for this is Northeast New Jersey and the New York City Metro, but the threat is on the lower end of things, so if it does occur, it'll be pretty isolated,” Ramsey said.
New York City’s Emergency Management Department has issued a travel advisory from 8 a.m. Tuesday through 8 a.m. Wednesday, urging caution for anyone commuting. They are reminding New Yorkers in basement apartments to be prepared to move to higher ground, and warning residents not to walk through flooded streets or subway stations.
NYC residents can stay up to date on the weather forecast and potential hazards by signing up for @NotifyNYC at nyc.gov/notify or texting ‘notifynyc’ to 692-692.
The wet weather could linger until Friday, with some lighter storms and showers passing through.
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected] .
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