Tropical Storm Elsa is currently moving up the east coast toward New York City and today, even before it arrives, there was a downpour which led to some flash flooding in parts of the city:

Flash floods unleashed by a series of powerful thunderstorms crippled highways, streets and subways in New York City and beyond, totally shutting down the vital Major Deegan Expressway for hours and stranding motorists who had to be rescued.

Multiple roads were reported closed in places like Yonkers in Westchester County and Hackensack in New Jersey as the brunt of the storm hit during the rush hour, turning roads into rivers and subway stations into pools.

This is what things looked like in the subway:

Some subway system ya got there. This is the 157th St. 1 line right now. @NYCMayor @BilldeBlasio pic.twitter.com/xyfTAUPPNu

— Paullee 🤠 (@PaulleeWR) July 8, 2021

People tried using trashbags to keep dry but it mostly didn’t work:

And…an attempt. pic.twitter.com/VHk3Rnv6zd

— Paullee 🤠 (@PaulleeWR) July 8, 2021

Here’s what it looked like above the same station:

Yooo the 157th St station is underwater pic.twitter.com/TfdEF8yH2l

— Stephen Smith (@Noxluc) July 8, 2021

Meanwhile in Penn Station:

How’s your summer going? ⛈ pic.twitter.com/HJENycDyqb

— Douglas Stuart (@Doug_D_Stuart) July 8, 2021

Can’t quite make out the sign in this one:

New York Subway flood pic.twitter.com/yvGyX9Ennv

— Linh (@Linh_ho87) July 8, 2021

But New Yorkers don’t stop:

Flooding in #NYC pic.twitter.com/ajfwdARitd

— Lars❄️🇳🇴(New account) (@aflyguynew1) July 8, 2021

The Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx was flooded to the point that people had to be rescued:

JUST IN 🚨 Several people stuck as rains from Tropical Storm Elsa shuts down Major Deegan Expressway in Bronx, New York City pic.twitter.com/o8lqRJ90yt

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) July 8, 2021

Video of stranded people being pulled from their cars into the back of a truck:

❗️FLASH FLOOD hits New York City, overwhelming subways and expressways – multiple people in need of rescue (VIDEO)

(Via RT) pic.twitter.com/ct3xB9q8gk

— Randi M 🐴 (@RandiM20) July 8, 2021

Some drivers seem to be pushing through it:

I would avoid the FDR north unless you’re wearing a life jacket. pic.twitter.com/RRHRrVUsdN

— David Lennon (@DPLennon) July 8, 2021

🌊Flooding Storms in NYC!🗽 || Check out the deep #flood waters on this roadway in New York City on Thursday! #NYwx #Flooding #SevereWeather
Video Credit: @danooch23 pic.twitter.com/F9NS5fbiYk

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) July 8, 2021

This is from Yonkers:

Major flooding Central Ave in Yonkers, NY by Kohls. Water above some cars. Video taken by us.@NWSNewYorkNY @LeeGoldbergABC7 @SamanthaAugeri @NickGregoryFox5 @Raphael4NY pic.twitter.com/3V81Ii0BBN

— Tri-State Weather (@tristateweather) July 8, 2021

That’s all that I see at the moment but again the bad news is that Elsa is still on its way bringing a lot more rain late tonight and early tomorrow. New Yorkers have a lot of recent experience working from home. Maybe tomorrow would be a good day to just stay home rather than trying to commute through what is likely to be a disaster. Here’s a local news report on the mess.