Barbara Goldberg, Peter Szekely

NEW YORK (Reuters] – On Tuesday heavy rains poured on densely populated Northeast U.S., flooding roads and triggering accidents.

Weather watchers reported that the rains, which had been heavy overnight, continued to fall from Washington, New York City, into Monday morning. New Jersey commuters also saw vehicle accidents on roads that resembled rivers.

The storm is expected to move northeast towards eastern Massachusetts overnight, with winds of 60 miles per hour (95 km/h) and storm surges up to 3 feet (1 meter), according Bob Oravec, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center, National Weather Service, College Park, Maryland.

Oravec stated, “It is rapidly deepening. It’s going be windy overnight as Cape Cod heads towards Cape Cod.”

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority stated that commuter train and subway services had been running smoothly with only minor delays at the beginning of Tuesday morning’s rush hour. New Jersey’s bus and train services were generally running smoothly with only one report of weather-related delays on one line.

Oravec stated that the wet and windy weather was the first of a series of double-barreled storms which will target the Northeast. It was forecast that the first storm would last until Thursday and could dump up to three inches (8cm) of rain. He said that the second would arrive on Friday, and continue through Saturday. It will pour 2 inches more (5 cm) rain.

Oravec explained that “if we add together both storms over a couple of days we could easily have totals of 3-4 inches.”

“The worst rainfalls will end by Halloween morning (Sunday). “It might be okay for trick-or treat,” he stated.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a disaster alert Monday evening, even before any raindrops touched the ground. For the protection and safety of the citizens, the declaration gives the power to the government to enforce policies that it is not allowed to.

New York State was shocked by heavy rains that fell from remnants Hurricane Ida early last month. The torrential downpour caused flooding and drowning in New York City’s subways and streets, killing 17 people. The storm claimed the lives of at least 50 people including 27 from New Jersey.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also issued a declaration of an emergency ahead of heavy rains. This was at 8:59 EDT Monday (midnight GMT Tuesday).