School St. in Westfield became a small pond for a brief time Tuesday during the rain storm.
WESTFIELD – Mid-afternoon Tuesday saw more than two inches of rain get deposited on the greater Westfield area in a brief period of time causing issues throughout the city and beyond.
The rain started about 2pm and the peak of rain was less than an hour later. According to some sources, close to two inches fell in about an hour in Westfield.
The quick rainfall caused flooding across the northeast and numerous streets in Westfield were impassable.
The Westfield News’ Jim Johnson-Corwin braves the rain to clear a stormwater drain in the parking lot of The Westfield News.
Meadow St., School St, Noble St., Notre Dame St., and others saw closures to prevent traffic from proceeding through deep water.
Fortunately, all roadways were reopened a short time after.
There were fears that another band of heavy rain was expected an hour after the first rainfall ended but those clouds missed Westfield.
Officials warn residents to be safe in these situations by not driving unless it is absolutely necessary. Also, while it may sound entertaining, resist the urge of going into the standing water for entertainment. If the pressure is strong enough storm water drain covers may become dislodged causing openings that are undetectable.
The forecast for the next few days looks to be dry and seasonable.
