📰 What Happened: Heavy rain from a slow-moving storm flooded 20 subway stations across New York City on Monday, disrupting rush-hour commutes and forcing emergency closures. Although service was restored by Tuesday, the flash flood highlighted just how vulnerable the century-old system remains—despite billions spent on climate resiliency upgrades by the MTA.

🔍 A Closer Look: The storm dumped 2.64 inches of rain on Central Park—shattering a 1908 record. Most of the city’s subway and sewers, over 100 years old, were overwhelmed by the 1.75 inches that fell in an hour, exceeding what the city’s sewer systems could handle. While the MTA pumps out 10–13 million gallons daily, Monday’s total exceeded 15 million. Experts say major upgrades are decades away and will cost tens of billions—$30B for sewers alone.

🧠 Why It Matters: The flooding serves as a stark reminder that even modest rain can carry major risks due to ongoing climate change. As East Coast storms grow more intense and frequent, NYC’s subway and sewer systems face ever-growing climate threats that demand long-term, cross-agency solutions—urgently and at scale.