The punishing heat wave that locked down New York City and much of the Northeast last week has finally given way — but the relief came with a new set of dangers, as heavy rain and flooding swept through the region.
Flash flood warnings were put in place Monday for portions of New York, Philadelphia, and New Jersey as multiple rounds of storms pushed through the area.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had spent Sunday warning residents about the dangers of heatstroke and pointing people toward pools and cooling centers. By Monday morning, his message had shifted dramatically — urging anyone living in a basement apartment to get out immediately if they noticed water beginning to rise inside their home.
Across northern New Jersey, floodwaters left cars stranded on highways. In Ocean Township, heavy rainfall caused part of the roof at a BJ’s Wholesale Club to give way. Two people were briefly trapped inside but were able to free themselves. The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office confirmed no injuries were reported.
“Nothing too serious. They have us running from call to call,” said Capt. Leroy Marshall of the Lakewood Police Department, located nearby.
The storms effectively dismantled the heat dome that had been sitting over the Northeast for days. At its peak, LaGuardia Airport in New York recorded a historic high of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) on Thursday. Overnight temperatures in many locations barely dipped below 80 degrees F (26.7 C), offering little relief even after dark.
New Jersey health officials are now looking into approximately 25 deaths that may have been caused by the extreme heat. The victims — ranging in age from their 30s to their 80s — were found dead either on the street or inside homes without air conditioning, according to New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Raynard Washington.
Washington noted that autopsies and further investigations will be required before the heat can officially be listed as the cause of death. No other states have announced potential heat-related fatalities at this time.
As the heat wave broke over the weekend, a line of severe storms tracked from Michigan toward the East Coast. According to poweroutage.com, around 450,000 customers were still without electricity in the aftermath of the storm damage.
