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New York City floods are bringing chaos to roads and airports and stranding travelers in place. The torrential rain led to the closure of major roadways and prompted authorities to take unprecedented measures.

New York City grappled with severe flooding on Friday, disrupting not only the daily commute of city dwellers but also grounding travelers at LaGuardia Airport's Terminal A. 

CBS New York's Traffic Reporter Guy Staniar described the situation as "full closures" on a scale he had "never seen before" during Friday morning's rush hour. The deluge resulted in the complete shutdown of critical transportation arteries, leaving commuters stranded and travelers facing unexpected challenges.

Lower Manhattan witnessed the closure of the FDR Drive, while sections of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway in Queens and Brooklyn were also impassable due to flooding. The Belt Parkway was not spared, with closures in both directions near the Verrazzano Bridge. In Westchester County, key parkways like the Hutchinson River Parkway, Major Deegan Expressway, Saw Mill River Parkway, and Bronx River Parkway faced complete shutdowns, adding to the transportation chaos.

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New York Floods chaos at Airport 

LaGuardia Airport's Terminal A bore the brunt of the deluge, forcing authorities to close it entirely before 11 a.m.EDT. 

The flooding within the terminal itself created surreal scenes, as passengers navigated through inches of water, some even choosing to go barefoot, just steps away from their airline gates, including Frontier and Spirit. Travelers scheduled to depart from Terminal A were urged to verify their flight status before heading to the airport, ensuring they were not affected by the shutdown.

While the other two terminals at LaGuardia Airport remained operational, numerous flights encountered delays. The morning saw temporary halts and subsequent delays in flights arriving at LaGuardia due to water accumulation in the airport's refueling area.

The ripple effect of these disruptions resulted in over 1,000 cancellations at each of the NYC-area airports by noon, accompanied by more than 2,600 reported delays. The Port Authority acknowledged the likelihood of intermittent ground stops due to the ongoing heavy rainfall.

Disruptions and delays

Departures from JFK Airport experienced 15-minute delays on average, with the situation escalating as the afternoon unfolded. Newark Airport, however, appeared to be relatively unaffected by the rain, reporting no significant impacts on flight schedules.

Ultimately, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) held the authority to decide whether to impose ground stops, should the need arise. The flooding at LaGuardia Airport, while startling, was dwarfed by the scenes witnessed on some of New York City's streets throughout the morning. 

Roadways near the airport also faced impending disruptions, prompting the Port Authority to advise travelers to allocate extra time for their journey to the airport to avoid any unforeseen delays.