The National Weather Service predicts that large swaths of New York’s Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions will be hit by heavy rain starting Thursday afternoon and into Friday.
Forecasters warn of the possibility of flash flooding, which can be deadly.
The storm comes as Tropical Storm Debby travels over the Northeast. Forecasters say parts of upstate New York could experience up to five inches of rain by Friday night, with the heaviest rain expected to begin Friday afternoon.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned residents during a press conference Thursday morning to stay informed and avoid driving during flash floods.
“We're calling on everyone to really monitor the weather in your area. Watch for those cell phone messages that can go off,” said Hochul. “Lives are lost during a storm event because of flash flooding, people in vehicles that are swept away.”
Hochul said the state is taking action to prepare for the storm, including activating 100 national guard members and preparing over 5,000 utility workers to be deployed if necessary.
Local electricity and gas utility NYSEG said it is assembling crews and equipment and activating employees for storm duty to help restore service if outages occur.
With Tompkins County predicted to be in the path of the heaviest rains, county officials are also advising residents to take storm warnings seriously.
“Don’t underestimate the power of water,” said Geoff Dunn, community preparedness coordinator for Tompkins County’s Emergency Response Department, in a statement Thursday. “Stay alert, avoid any unnecessary travel, and do not attempt to cross a roadway with standing water.”
Dunn recommended people call 911 if they are trapped by high water or if they smell gas after flooding. Fire departments can pump water from flooded basements, but only if it is a foot deep or greater. The Emergency Response Department warned residents not to enter water that is flooding basements as it can be a shock hazard.
Other counties across the Southern Tier, including Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga, Cortland, Chenango and Broome, are also at risk of numerous flash floods, according to the National Weather Service.