Rounds of torrential thunderstorms swamped the Northeast this week, flooding subways and highways in the New York City area and prompting a state of emergency in parts of New Jersey. The storms dropped extraordinary rainfall rates in just a few hours, and scattered power outages accompanied the flooding as lightning and gusty winds moved through.

A Warmer Atmosphere Rains Harder

Forecasters note that extreme short-duration rainfall events like this one are becoming more frequent, and urban and suburban infrastructure alike are struggling to keep pace. For homeowners, flooding compounds outage risk: basements with sump pumps need power precisely when storms are most likely to take it away.

Preparing for Summer Deluges

• Inspect your standby generator and ensure it is ready to activate automatically if power is lost.
• Run a test cycle and confirm your sump pump circuit is on backup power.
• Keep natural gas or propane systems serviced, with connections above known flood levels where possible.
• Consider an upgrade. Whole-home backup solutions from Generac and Kohler protect basements and essentials when storms strike.

Stay Informed

Flash flood warnings demand immediate action. Know your area’s flood-prone roads and never attempt to drive through moving water.