Why NYC Flooded So Badly on October 30, 2025

11/03/2025

“Why did NYC flood so badly on October 30, 2025?”

October 30, 2025, was a nightmare for NYC. Record-breaking downpours swept through the city, leaving destruction in its wake. Water levels were taller than people’s waists on some streets. Two people even lost their lives because of the storm. But why was flooding so bad? Well, there’s a multitude of reasons. NYC sewer systems were designed to handle around 1.75 inches per hour of rainfall, while rain reached 6.00 inches per hour in some neighborhoods. Furthermore, the fall leaves and trash blocked sewer catch-basins, preventing drainage and turning city regions into a giant concrete bathtub. Taken together, This is Why NYC Flooded So Badly on October 30, 2025.

For more in-depth information, please visit this page from the NYC-focused flooding blog The City Sponge.

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