Storm Elsa hits New York and New England with heavy rain and winds

The storm’s maximum sustained winds were nearly 85 kilometers per hour (50 mph) with stronger gusts as it moved over Massachusetts. The National Hurricane Center reported at 2:00 p.m. that Elsa was no longer considered a tropical storm.

The storm was still strong enough to drop 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) of rain in areas of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the early afternoon. West of Boston, Framingham police closed some roads due to a build-up of water.

Bad weather affected the service of some commuter train lines in the region of the city of New York during the morning, with slight delays on the Harlem line, north of the city, and suspension of service on the Oyster Bay branch of the Long Island Rail Road due to downed trees.

The downpour caused a small rockslide under the main railroad track in West Haven, Connecticut, forcing trains to change a minor track for a couple of hours. West Haven was also one of the coastal cities that experienced significant street flooding.

Rain covers the Empire State Building in New York on July 8, 2012 as Tropical Storm Elsa moves northeast with heavy rains and flash flood warnings.

“We’re waiting for the water to recede,” said Joe Soto, the city’s director of emergency management. “The drainage system was simply bypassed.”

On Thursday, a deluge flooded some streets and subway stations in New York City.

The hurricane center said a tornado or two is possible Friday afternoon in parts of Long Island and southeastern New England.

Elsa caused a death in Florida on Wednesday and a tornado in Georgia.

The storm was expected to cross the northeast in the afternoon and move over the Canadian Atlantic in the evening and on Saturday. No significant change in strength is assessed during the day, and Elsa is forecast to become a post-tropical cyclone on Friday night.