Tropical Storm Debby (and its rain) to skew west of NYC, NWS says

New York City will be spared the worst of Tropical Storm Debby’s rain and flooding as the storm tracks west toward northeastern Pennsylvania and New York’s Southern Tier, forecasters said Wednesday.

The slow-moving storm has been inundating southern states over the last several days. Emergency officials said they worried about flooding as New York and New Jersey brace for additional bouts of heavy rain into Saturday.

The storm preparations come just days after six motorists had to be rescued Tuesday night because of flooding on the Cross Island Parkway during another heavy downpour.

As of Wednesday, forecasters were predicting flooding further west of New York City and less rain near the city.

“We're expecting 1- to 2-inch rainfall,” National Weather Service meteorologist Jay Engle said. “We're going to get some activity on Thursday, but most of the rain is going to fall Friday and Friday night.”

NYC Emergency Management plans to update potential travel advisories on Friday after forecasts further develop.

The NWS predicts limited coastal flooding on Long Island, with Eastern Long Island receiving an inch of rain at most.