The Fishkill Creek after Tropical Storm Henri. ALBB hasn’t left the house yet to see it after the remnants of Category 4 Huricane Ida. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin — The Fishkill Creek after Tropical Storm Henri. ALBB hasn’t left the house yet to see it after the remnants of Category 4 Huricane Ida.
*Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin*

In the early hours of Thursday morning at 2am, during the day-long rainfall in the northeast from Hurricane Ida that devestated several communities in southern states, the office of Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro declared a State of Emergency for Dutchess County until 9am Thursday. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for New York just after midnight, as did the state of New Jersey. Flights out of major airports in New York and New Jersey were suspended and all airport parking lots closed due to severe flooding, The Port Authority said.

For Dutchess County, the National Weather Service issued River Flood Warnings from Thursday 4:31am until Friday 8:33pm flood warnings for Wappingers Creek, comparing it to a crest level last seen on 4/3/1970, stating: “Flood Warning for the Wappingers Creek at Wappingers Falls. From late tonight to Friday evening. At 10:30pm Wednesday, the stage was 5.0 feet. Flood stage is 8.0 feet. Minor flooding is forecast. Forecast…The river is expected to ries above flood stage late tonight to a crest of 9.7 feet early tomorrow afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage early Friday afternoon. Impact…at 10.0 feet, Moderate flood stage. Flood History…This crest compares to a previous crest of 9.6 feet on 4/3/1970.”

Per the emergency state, Dutchess County restricted non-essential travel in 16 municipalities until 9 a.m. Public transportation schedule remained normal. Counties under the travel restriction were: Amenia, Pleasant Valley, Dover, Washington, Millbrook, Town of Poughkeepise, City of Poughkeepsie, LaGrange, Union Vale, Wappinger, Wappingers Falls, Beekman, Town of Pawling, Village of Pawling, East Fishkill and Village of Fishkill.

County offices opened at 10 a.m. In Beacon, the 4-school elementary school supply drop-off where kids can briefly meet their teachers when dropping off school supplies was adjusted by a short time, and parents were advised that some teachers may not have been able to travel in.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said that remnants of Hurricane Ida caused flooding, as well as downed trees and wires throughout portions of Dutchess County. The Dutchess County Emergency Operation Center has been activated and continues to monitor the storm and provide resources as needed. The Dutchess County Emergency Operations Center will remain open throughout the day to continue to address storm issues.

Roadway Flooding In Dutchess County

Flooding included rushing water from the mountains, as well as creeks and rivers. “NYS Route 9, Town of Fishkill - near Clove Road, roadway partially closed due to water running off the mountain and across the roadway,” Molinaro tweeted. “CR-28, Town of Wappinger - Old Hopewell Road, east of Route 9, in the construction zone is flooding and hazardous due to significant water on the roadway. CR-111, Town of Washington - near the monument, now closed due to roadway flooding,” he cautioned in another tweet.

Flooding elsewhere in the region caused swift rescues of people in cars and on foot in small towns such as Mamaroneck and Larchmont, which are both located on the coast of New York in Westchester County.

Abandoned cars on the southbound side of the Saw Mill Parkway, near Yonkers and the Bronx. Photo Credit: Mark Vergar/The Journal News — Abandoned cars on the southbound side of the Saw Mill Parkway, near Yonkers and the Bronx.
*Photo Credit:* *Mark Vergar/The Journal News*

Flooding In New York City and Queens

Flash flooding took over parts of Manhattan and Queens, according to several reports including AlJazeera.

Video of water rushing into the NY Subway along 7th Avenue at the 28th Street stop. Photo Credit: AlJazeera screenshot of video. — Video of water rushing into the NY Subway along 7th Avenue at the 28th Street stop.
Photo Credit: *AlJazeera screenshot of video.*

The flooding from the rainfall from the Category 4 Hurricane Ida caught some in the northeast offguard, where there were more warnings issued for Tropical Storm Henri. According to AlJazeera, “the National Weather Service said it recorded 8 cm (3.15 inches) of rain in New York’s Central Park in one hour Wednesday night, far surpassing the 4.9 cm (1.94 inches) that fell in one hour during Tropical Storm Henri on the night of August 21 – believed at the time to be the most ever recorded in the iconic park.”

Some Beaconites were caught in the Queens flash flooding in Ridgewood and Middle Village, with nowhere to go in all directions. Dutchess County Emergency Management urges everyone to not drive through water on a road, with this ryhme: “Turn Around. Don’t Drown.”

If you have pictures of areas in your part of Beacon or surrounding areas that you want to share to document how Beacon fared, email them to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. We cannot pay for pictures this round, but appreciate your contributions.

Wishing safety for all.