On September 1–2, 2021, Hurricane Ida affected much of the Northeastern United States as an extratropical cyclone, causing catastrophic river and flash flooding. Widespread flooding affected many areas, shutting down numerous roads, halting public transit, and cancelling hundreds of flights. Several rivers overflowed their banks, flooding farmlands, towns, and homes. Hundreds of cars were abandoned on roadways after being stranded in floodwaters and dozens of high-water rescues were performed. Several flash flood emergencies were issued due to the flooding.
The storm also produced a tornado outbreak that spawned seven tornadoes across Pennsylvania and New Jersey along with an additional weak tornado in Massachusetts. In Pennsylvania, an EF2 tornado caused severe damage and a fatality in Upper Dublin Township. One intense EF3 tornado passed near Mullica Hill, New Jersey damaging or destroying several homes. The same storm later produced EF1 tornado that tracked from Edgewater Park, New Jersey to Bristol, Pennsylvania and prompted a rare tornado emergency for both Bristol and Croydon, Pennsylvania, as well as Burlington, New Jersey. This was the first tornado emergency ever issued for a tropical cyclone as well as the first ever issued for the Northeastern United States.
At least 55 people died in the states of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Connecticut. CoreLogic estimated that Ida caused an estimated $16 to 24 billion in flooding damage in the Northeastern United States. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) estimated that Ida caused between $18 billion to $22.5 billion in damage in the Northeastern United States, with a median estimate of at least $20 billion in damages.
Background
Ida was the third tropical system in a time period of several weeks to affect the Northeastern United States, after Tropical Storm Fred and Hurricane Henri in August. These storms dropped heavy rainfall, saturating the soil. New York City recorded from August 16 to 30, which became the second largest amount of rain New York City had in the second half of August on record. Water levels in rivers were also higher than average, leaving much of the region susceptible to flooding.
Preparations
The Weather Prediction Center issued a High Risk of flash flooding for parts of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. On August 31, the New York Mets game against the Miami Marlins scheduled for September 1 at Citi Field was postponed due to the approaching storm.Mets game vs. Marlins postponed Wednesday due to approaching Tropical Depression Ida, NorthJersey, August 31, 2021
Impact
+ Deaths in the Northeastern U.S. State Total New Jersey 31 New York 17 Pennsylvania 5 Maryland 1 Connecticut 1 5 states 55 deaths Maryland and Delaware
In Maryland, A 19-year-old man was confirmed dead after flooding at an apartment complex in Rockville. In Frederick County, 10 students and their bus driver had to be rescued when their school bus was caught in flooding. An EF2 tornado caused considerable damage to homes, businesses, schools, and other structures as well as trees, signs, and power lines in Annapolis. Two other EF0 tornadoes also touched down in the state. In Wilmington, Delaware, over 200 people were rescued from flooding caused by the storm along the Brandywine Creek. The creek also reached a crest of , a new record. https://whyy.org/articles/home-state-help-biden-approves-delaware-disaster-declaration-after-ida-flooding/
Pennsylvania
At least five people were killed in Pennsylvania. In Bucks County, a man drowned in his vehicle in the Unami Creek. The flooding was particularly severe on portions of Interstate 676, leading the highway to take several days to reopen, with a cost of $715,000 to repair.Why Ida’s remnants left the Vine Street Expressway under water, WHYY Parts of Pennsylvania Route 611 were closed for six months due to flooding.A stretch of Northampton County highway reopens after damage from Hurricane Ida forced it to close six months ago, Morning Call, March 7, 2022 Four tornadoes touched down in the states while another one moved into the state out of New Jersey. A low-end EF2 tornado caused severe damage when it impacted the east side Oxford in Chester County. Another EF2 tornado caused severe damage in Fort Washington, Upper Dublin Township, and Horsham Township in Montgomery County, knocking down trees and power lines and tearing the roof off of the Upper Dublin Police Department. A woman was killed when a tree fell onto her house due to the tornado. Three EF1 tornadoes were confirmed in Bucks County, including one EF1 tornado that crossed the state line after striking Edgewater Park, New Jersey and struck Buckingham Township. In Pittsburgh, a bus with over 40 people had to be rescued. This tornado came from the same storm that produced the Mullica Hill, New Jersey EF3 tornado and this prompted the issuance of a tornado emergency for Burlington, New Jersey and Croydon, and Bristol, Pennsylvania, the first of its kind in the Northeast, as well as the first such alert associated with a tropical cyclone. Bucks County was also under a flash flood emergency at the time, marking one of the few times that these emergency alerts were issued for the same area.The 10 Most Unforgettable Moments of the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season, The Weather Channel, December 12, 2021 Damage in Pennsylvania amounted to anywhere between $2.5 billion and $3.5 billion.
New Jersey
All of the New Jersey Transit, except for the Atlantic City Line was shut down due to the storm.NJ Transit suspends rail service, highways closed amid Ida storm remnants, NJ.com, September 2, 2021 Newark International Airport was shut down, cancelling more than 400 flights, and shutting down the airport parking lot.Newark airport temporarily halts flights after severe flooding across New Jersey., New York Times, September 2, 2021 Ida significantly contributed to Newark's wettest September on record.Northeast Regional Climate Center, October 1, 2021 In Millburn, Essex County, the Rahway River overflowed its banks, flooding the downtown area. More than 100 rescues were conducted. People were evacuated to the Millburn Library. In nearby Livingston, the Canoe Brook overflowed its banks, and flooding damaged several police, fire department, and public works vehicles. One fire department SUV was swept away while rescuing a person in a trapped car. Around 500 rescues occurred in Manville, Somerset County, and 100 houses were estimated to be uninhabitable. Manville Office of Emergency Management Director John Bentz stated that the Raritan River crested on the morning of September 3 at , beating Hurricane Floyd of 1999. In nearby Bound Brook, a NJ Transit train was stuck in floodwaters. Nearby in Newark, the city realized their wettest day on record with of rain pouring down.Ida turns New York City into a front line of extreme weather supercharged by climate change, CNN, September 2, 2021 Three tornadoes touched down in the state, which were all produced by the same supercell. An EF3 tornado with winds of damaged or destroyed many homes and tossed cars in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. One unanchored frame home was completely leveled and two people were injured by the tornado. The same storm later produced an EF1 tornado that prompted the tornado emergency mentioned above. The storm crossed back later crossed back into New Jersey, and produced its final tornado, which caused EF0 tree damage in Princeton. In Hopewell, New Jersey, Interstate 295 was shut down due to flooding.Ida remnants cancel, delay trains and buses, close stretches of N.J. highways, NJ.com, September 2, 2021 A total of 30 people were killed in New Jersey, making Ida the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the history of the state, behind Hurricane Sandy.Storm relief, climate progress still elusive decade after Hurricane Sandy, lawmakers told, New Jersey Monitor, October 7, 2022 Damage in New Jersey amounted to anywhere between $8 billion and $10 billion.
New York State
At least three people were killed in Westchester County. More than 200 cars were abandoned on roads. A man was killed near the Saw Mill River Parkway after his car was submerged. A total of 18 people died in New York State. The New York State Thruway between exits 12 and 14 was temporarily shut down.NY State Thruway Reopens After Ida Flooding: Update, Patch, September 2, 2021 Initial estimates, according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, said flooding caused more than $50 million in damage in New York State. However, more updated numbers reveal damage in New York amounted to between $7.5 billion and $9 billion.
New York City and Long Island The National Weather Service issued their first ever flash flood emergency for New York City during the storm.NYC National Weather Service issues first Flash Flood Emergency; wettest hour ever in Central Park, ABC7NY, September 2, 2021 In the New York Subway System, 17 trains were trapped and service was halted until the morning of September 2. Everyone trapped was evacuated, with no casualties. Damage to the subway system was $75 million.Ida Sent 75 Million Gallons of Water Into NY Subway System, Caused $75M in Damages, Newsweek, September 16, 2021 At the US Open tennis site in Flushing in New York City, 18 people were rescued. A total of 13 people were killed in New York City, with 11 of them occurring when basements of apartments flooded. In one of the incidents, a toddler was killed. A man's body was recovered from the Gowanus Canal late on September 2. New York City saw a record amount of rainfall in one hour, from 8:51-9:51pm on September 1, at , with records for 2-hour and 3-hour rainfall as well.Hurricane Ida: New York Gets as Much Rain in an Hour as Chicago Averages in a Month, NBC 5 Chicago, September 1, 2021Central Park Again Records Wettest Hour In NYC History, Patch, September 2, 2021 LaGuardia Airport recorded their wettest day on record, with of rain, while Central Park recorded their 5th wettest day with of rain.Historic Tropical Depression Ida, Northeast Regional Climate Center The maximum amount of rainfall in Staten Island of made it the 9th wettest tropical cyclone in New York. The flooding was so bad that Bill de Blasio had to ban all non-essential travel on roads until 5am on September 2. The West Shore Expressway was shut down due to flooding, and much of the Staten Island Railway was shut down as well.Ida on Staten Island, the morning after: Abandoned cars, W. Shore Expressway flooded, limited trains, Silive, September 2, 2021
By the morning of September 2, more than 13,200 homes had lost power on Long Island and the Long Island Railroad had suspended service systemwide. Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve suffered heavy damage and was forced to close after the storm.Ida On Long Island: 80-Foot Oak Falls On Lloyd Neck Home, Nearby Caumsett State Park Devastated, CBS New York, November 2, 2021
New England