Rain Causes Flooding, Thankfully No Outages

Rain, rain and more rain is what is predicted for the area through tonight.

Continuous precipitation has already caused some minor flooding on local roads and closures of nearby thruways.

At 8:08 a.m. reader Bill e-mailed in a news tip, advising that the Bronx River Parkway was closed just north of the Scarsdale exit and that a downed tree had cut off passage in the northbound lane. Two hours later, the entire roadway was closed to flooding, and county police were engaged in the water rescue of a civilian who had driven around a police barricade at the Scarsdale Rd. entrance onto the parkway.  

The man, who is in his 70s, drove for about a mile before he was unable to proceed in water that was 4 1/2 and 5-feet high and rising.  A Yonkers police officer helped to rescue him from the roof of his vehicle.

Parts of the Hutchinson River Parkway are closed between the Cross County Parkway and Boston Post Rd. (Exit 7 - U.S. 1); the Taconic State Parkway was closed both directions between Commerce St. and Stevens Ave. in Mount Plesant; and the Saw Mill River Parkway was closed between Manville Rd. in Pleasantville and Marble Ave. in Thornwood, with one southbound lane closed down at Lawrence St. in Dobbs Ferry. The northbound ramp to the Saw Mill River Parkway from the Taconic was also closed in Hawthorne.

The Village has placed roadway closure barricades at Oxford Rd. at Greendale Rd. and a portion of Greendale Rd. between Windmill Ln. and Eaton Rd. – both near George Field Park.

Deputy Superintendent of Public Works, Eric Gerringer, added that there is flooding towards the Wilmot Rd. end of Sprague Rd., but added, "As far as we know - there are not trees falling or any outages related to that." 

Gerringer said the Village had just begun receiving calls reporting a backup of sewage in some areas, and said so far four reports had been received of backups in residential basements, and he said that the fire department was responding to the calls.

"We expect the water to recede in two to three hours after the rains stop," he said, and suggested residents should be patient. 

To see a full incident and congestion report for all of Westchester County, click here.

A 3 p.m.update from the National Weather Service predicts no more than one-tenth to one-quarter of an inch of rainfall tonight,  with rain or drizzle likely mostly before midnight, with patchy fog. 

Tomorrow the weather service predicts a slight (20%) chance of showers before 9 a.m. and then increasing sun with a high near 58 degrees. 

The Village of Mamaroneck has recommended an emergency – but not mandatory –evacuation of all residents in low-lying areas. Read more here and reach out to friends who may need a place to stay.

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