Several subway stations were flooded and major roads were cut in New York on Thursday ahead of the expected arrival of Storm&nbsp;Elsa, which has moved up the US East Coast after lashing Florida with wind and rain.

Between 2 and 4 inches of water fell in a series of thunderstorms over the city and surrounding areas on Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, "causing extensive flash flooding in certain places."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tropical-storm-elsa-strengthens-to-hurricane-as-it-closes-in-on-florida-396490">Tropical Storm Elsa strengthens to hurricane as it closes in on Florida</a>

Subway passengers posted video footage on Twitter of flooded platforms at the 157th Street station north of Manhattan.

Commuters could be seen waist-deep in the water, crossing a dark pool to reach the station's platforms.

"Lines 1 and A have really taken a hit, with a lot of flooding in the stations," Sarah Feinberg, head of the MTA, New York's public transport authority, said on Thursday at a press briefing.

Some major roads, including in the Bronx, were temporarily closed, disrupting traffic. New York police tweeted footage of motorists being stranded by the water.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-killed-as-tropical-storm-elsa-lashes-dominican-republic-395954">Two killed as tropical storm Elsa lashes Dominican Republic</a>

The NWS warned of possible new flooding by Friday morning, with the expected arrival of heavy rains brought by Storm&nbsp;Elsa, which is moving up from Florida.

Despite work to protect the city against flooding since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which killed 44 people and paralyzed the American economic capital for days, New York remains very vulnerable to flooding, with such incidents expected to increase because of climate change.

Several officials, including Eric Adams, president of Brooklyn and the favourite for the November mayoral election in New York after winning the Democratic primary this week, called for urgent investments to fortify the city's infrastructure.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tropical-storm-elsa-churns-past-haiti-headed-for-cuba-395659">Tropical storm Elsa churns past Haiti, headed for Cuba</a>

"Extreme weather episodes like this are not going to go away," warned one of his primary opponents, Kathryn Garcia, who oversaw the water pumping after Hurricane Sandy.

"We must invest in strategies to protect the city," she said.

Several subway stations were flooded and major roads were cut in New York on Thursday ahead of the expected arrival of Storm Elsa, which has moved up the US East Coast after lashing Florida with wind and rain.

Several subway stations were flooded and major roads were cut in New York on Thursday ahead of the expected arrival of Storm Elsa, which has moved up the US East Coast after lashing Florida with wind and rain. Between 2 and 4 inches of water fell in a series of thunderstorms over the city and surrounding areas on Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) said, "causing extensive flash flooding in certain places." Also read | Tropical Storm Elsa strengthens to hurricane as it closes in on Florida Subway passengers posted video footage on Twitter of flooded platforms at the 157th Street station north of Manhattan. Commuters could be seen waist-deep in the water, crossing a dark pool to reach the station's platforms. "Lines 1 and A have really taken a hit, with a lot of flooding in the stations," Sarah Feinberg, head of the MTA, New York's public transport authority, said on Thursday at a press briefing. Some major roads, including in the Bronx, were temporarily closed, disrupting traffic. New York police tweeted footage of motorists being stranded by the water. Also read | Two killed as tropical storm Elsa lashes Dominican Republic The NWS warned of possible new flooding by Friday morning, with the expected arrival of heavy rains brought by Storm Elsa, which is moving up from Florida. Despite work to protect the city against flooding since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which killed 44 people and paralyzed the American economic capital for days, New York remains very vulnerable to flooding, with such incidents expected to increase because of climate change. Several officials, including Eric Adams, president of Brooklyn and the favourite for the November mayoral election in New York after winning the Democratic primary this week, called for urgent investments to fortify the city's infrastructure. Also read | Tropical storm Elsa churns past Haiti, headed for Cuba "Extreme weather episodes like this are not going to go away," warned one of his primary opponents, Kathryn Garcia, who oversaw the water pumping after Hurricane Sandy. "We must invest in strategies to protect the city," she said.

Flooding in New York as Storm Elsa expected to hit

Hurricane Elsa threatened Florida's northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday after raking past the Tampa Bay region with gusty winds and heavy rain.

The storm was 60 miles (95 km) west of Tampa Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (115 km/h), the NHC said in an advisory issued at 0600 GMT.

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Elsa&nbsp;also briefly strengthened to a hurricane last week, when it killed at least three people, blew roofs off homes, toppled trees, and sparked flooding in Caribbean island nations east of Cuba.

"Elsa&nbsp;is forecast to make landfall along the north Florida Gulf Coast by late Wednesday morning and then move across the southeastern United States through Thursday," the US&nbsp;National Hurricane Center said.

Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez called on state residents to start preparing for the storm, including the possibility of power blackouts, and asked people to stockpile adequate supplies of food and water.&nbsp;

"If you are asked to evacuate, please leave," she said, reminding people that there were emergency shelters ready to accommodate them.

Elsa left a trail of destruction through the Caribbean, claiming at least three lives. It was logged as the first hurricane of this year's Atlantic season on Friday before being downgraded Saturday to a tropical storm again, and then back up to a hurricane Tuesday. &nbsp;

Over 100,000 people were evacuated from coastal or low-lying areas as the storm cut through Cuba, with&nbsp;the nation's meteorological institute Insmet reporting winds of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour.

But its forecasted westward path meant Florida appeared set to avoid the worst of the storm, with the southwest coast of the state set to experience a glancing blow rather than the direct hit expected earlier.

In Surfside, on Florida's east coast, workers on Sunday used explosives in the controlled demolition of the still-standing portion of a collapsed condo building,&nbsp;a job accelerated for fear Elsa might topple the structure.

The condo disaster left 36 confirmed deaths, but another 109 people are still listed as missing.&nbsp;

On Monday, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told CNN that officials were "very hopeful" that, with Elsa's current path, they would not have to pause search-and-rescue efforts after all.

The 200 or so search and rescue workers on the rubble pile carried on their operations all through Tuesday, despite strengthening wind and rain.

Since excavations began over a week ago, more than two tons of rubble have been removed from the site.

Meanwhile, as Elsa swept Cuba, states of alarm were sounded in the provinces of Havana, Mayabeque, and Artemisa as thousands were evacuated from their homes -- efforts complicated by Covid-19 as Cuba endured its worst chapter yet of the pandemic.

"Protecting ourselves against Elsa cannot mean letting our guard down against Covid," Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said.

Shops closed in Havana and driving was restricted to civil defense vehicles.

Elsa claimed two lives in the Dominican Republic and a third in the island state of Santa Lucia during its earlier approach through the Caribbean, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) said.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said late Sunday on Twitter that there had only been damage to farm crops.

Elsa's advent represented the earliest date ever that a fifth named storm,&nbsp;which does not typically arrive before August, has struck the region.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hurricane Elsa threatened Florida's northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday after raking past the Tampa Bay region with gusty winds and heavy rain. The storm was 60 miles (95 km) west of Tampa Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (115 km/h), the NHC said in an advisory issued at 0600 GMT.

Hurricane Elsa threatened Florida's northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday after raking past the Tampa Bay region with gusty winds and heavy rain. The storm was 60 miles (95 km) west of Tampa Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (115 km/h), the NHC said in an advisory issued at 0600 GMT. Elsa also briefly strengthened to a hurricane last week, when it killed at least three people, blew roofs off homes, toppled trees, and sparked flooding in Caribbean island nations east of Cuba. "Elsa is forecast to make landfall along the north Florida Gulf Coast by late Wednesday morning and then move across the southeastern United States through Thursday," the US National Hurricane Center said. Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez called on state residents to start preparing for the storm, including the possibility of power blackouts, and asked people to stockpile adequate supplies of food and water. "If you are asked to evacuate, please leave," she said, reminding people that there were emergency shelters ready to accommodate them. Elsa left a trail of destruction through the Caribbean, claiming at least three lives. It was logged as the first hurricane of this year's Atlantic season on Friday before being downgraded Saturday to a tropical storm again, and then back up to a hurricane Tuesday. Over 100,000 people were evacuated from coastal or low-lying areas as the storm cut through Cuba, with the nation's meteorological institute Insmet reporting winds of up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour. But its forecasted westward path meant Florida appeared set to avoid the worst of the storm, with the southwest coast of the state set to experience a glancing blow rather than the direct hit expected earlier. In Surfside, on Florida's east coast, workers on Sunday used explosives in the controlled demolition of the still-standing portion of a collapsed condo building, a job accelerated for fear Elsa might topple the structure. The condo disaster left 36 confirmed deaths, but another 109 people are still listed as missing. On Monday, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told CNN that officials were "very hopeful" that, with Elsa's current path, they would not have to pause search-and-rescue efforts after all. The 200 or so search and rescue workers on the rubble pile carried on their operations all through Tuesday, despite strengthening wind and rain. Since excavations began over a week ago, more than two tons of rubble have been removed from the site. Meanwhile, as Elsa swept Cuba, states of alarm were sounded in the provinces of Havana, Mayabeque, and Artemisa as thousands were evacuated from their homes -- efforts complicated by Covid-19 as Cuba endured its worst chapter yet of the pandemic. "Protecting ourselves against Elsa cannot mean letting our guard down against Covid," Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said. Shops closed in Havana and driving was restricted to civil defense vehicles. Elsa claimed two lives in the Dominican Republic and a third in the island state of Santa Lucia during its earlier approach through the Caribbean, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) said. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said late Sunday on Twitter that there had only been damage to farm crops. Elsa's advent represented the earliest date ever that a fifth named storm, which does not typically arrive before August, has struck the region. (With inputs from agencies)

Tropical Storm Elsa strengthens to hurricane as it closes in on Florida

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Flooding in New York as Storm Elsa expected to hit

Tropical Storm Elsa strengthens to hurricane as it closes in on Florida