NEW YORK CITY — Torrential rains throughout the city flooded roads and highways snarling traffic ahead of rush hour Tuesday, authorities said.
Due to flooding, all lanes on the Cross Bronx Expressway @ Jerome Ave in Bronx are closed. Consider alternate routes.
— NYC OEM - Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) July 15, 2014
New York City was hit with about 1 inch of rain by Tuesday afternoon, forecasters said, but they said that another inch could fall by midnight.
Heavy rain caused flash floods throughout the city, according to the National Weather Service.
Part of the Henry Hudson Parkway was closed because of flooding in northern Manhattan, NYPD chief Philip Banks tweeted at 3:44 p.m.
Henry Hudson Parkway from Dyckman to 181 closed in both directions due to flooding. Expect delays.
— Philip Banks III (@NYPDChiefBanks) July 15, 2014
"Small streams or rivers may exceed [their banks]," the NWS said in a statement before the rain hit. "Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms will move across the region ahead of a cold front through late tonight."
The NWS issued a flash flood warning from Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday for the entire city.
The downpour knocked out power to 1,350 residents in the Willowbrook and Graniteville sections of Staten Island after lighting struck electrical wires at Victory Boulevard and Richmond Avenue a little after 3 p.m., according to Con Edison's website and spokesman.
Workers were on the way to the scene and they were not sure how long it would take to restore power, the spokesman added.
A flash flood warning was issued for Queens until 5:45 p.m., the Office of Emergency Management tweeted.
People should be especially cautious in low-lying areas, roadways and places with poor drainage, the NWS said.