Wildfire Smoke Hits New York Area and Flooding Kills Two in Texas

Smoke from Canadian wildfires returned to New York City and surrounding communities on Saturday, sending air quality into unhealthy levels. The first wave of powerful storms moved through northern New Jersey and New York City, prompting a flash flood warning through 2pm. By Saturday afternoon more than 2.5 inches of rain had fallen in some locations.

Neighborhoods including Jamaica, Crown Heights, Forest Hills, Ozone Park, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Woodside and Greenpoint saw flooding under way or expected. Videos shared on social media showed water pouring into Penn Station. The National Weather Service placed much of the tri-state area under a level 3 out of 5 risk for severe storms.

In Texas, the Devils River in south-west Texas was forecast to reach major flood stage on Saturday morning and could climb as high as 22 feet, while the flood stage there is 5 feet. The Rio Grande was expected to peak at 21 feet by Sunday morning, above the minor flooding threshold of 8 feet in the Laredo area.

Emergency crews carried out more rescues on Friday as additional heavy rain expanded the flood threat.

The flooding has killed at least two people and left hundreds more needing rescue. More than 2 feet of rain fell in some areas during a week of relentless downpours. Near Ozona, flood waters overtopped Interstate 10.

More than 50 people were rescued by boat from flooded apartment complexes, and an RV park was overwhelmed by rising water. In Uvalde County, part of a bridge collapsed over the Nueces River after the region received months’ worth of rainfall in a matter of days. In Cincinnati, residents of the Hyde Park neighborhood reported that heavy rain escalated into dangerous flooding in 20 to 30 minutes.