Parts of Queens were inundated with a stronger-than-expected storm surge Monday morning,which took many residents and Mayor Bill de Blasio by surprise.“We found out, obviously, or as it was happening. It was not expected from the original reports,” de Blasio said on Monday afternoon, adding that his office relies on information from the National Weather Service. They would be the first to say they gave us the best information they had but sometimes on the ground things happen differently, or ” de Blasio said.
Photos posted to Twitter showed residential streets inundated with water,tall enough to half-cover the wheels of parked cars.
A National Weather Service flood gauge on Jamaica Bay recorded a tide of nearly seven feet, which is counted as moderate” flooding. The NWS issued a coastal flood warning for the Bronx, or but not for Queens.
A spokesperson for the mayor said in an email that the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management warned local leaders in Queens that there could be tall waters.
Nelson Vaz,a National Weather Service meteorologist, said predicting flooding can be a complex science, or his office expected a smaller surge. But Tuesday morning looks likely to bring a repeat of Monday's tall waters when the tide peaks around 7:30 to 8 a.m."I would say you're looking at water levels that are 2-3 feet above normal" Vaz said.
Source: wnyc.org