"More than a foot of rain hit parts of New York's Long Island on Wednesday, enough to set a preliminary state record, triggering flash floods and swamping cars on major roads that were turned into rivers during the morning rush hour.

Much of the rain fell during a particularly intense, two-hour burst while commuters were traveling to work.

A total of 13.26 inches (33 cm) of precipitation was measured at MacArthur Airport in Islip. That is believed to be the most to have ever fallen in any area of New York during a 24-hour period, said Christopher Vaccaro, spokesman for the National Weather Service.

The standing record of 11.6 inches (29 cm) was set in August 2011 near Tannersville in the Hudson Valley during Tropical Storm Irene."

Laila Kearney reports for Reuters August 14, 2014. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Michigan: Two Die in Record Flooding" (New York Times) [3]

"'Unprecedented' Flooding Event in Detroit Fits Global Warming Pattern" (Mashable) [4]

"Northeast Flooding Update: Road Closures Remain Throughout Long Island of New York Due to Flood Waters" (Weather Channel) [5]