More than five inches of rain has fallen in Central Park since Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service, the most rainfall in New York City since Hurricane Ida hit the city two years ago.

Streets, subway stations, businesses, and residential buildings in the city have all flooded from the heavy rain. 

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday morning, according to the New York Times. She urged residents to stay home if possible and to avoid unnecessary travel. She also said that the state was preparing flood rescue teams throughout the region. 

New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams, held a press conference at 11 am ET Friday, also declaring a state of emergency in the city. Some New Yorkers were critical of Adams’ response to the storm. 

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New York Times City Hall bureau chief Emma Fitzsimmons criticized the mayor on X.com, saying his response was lackluster.

“Mayor Eric Adams's office is defending his slow and muted response to the storm,” Fitzsimmons said. “His office sent a 'travel advisory' about heavy rainfall via email at 11pm on Thursday. Adams has not held a news conference or appeared on TV or radio, like Hochul and MTA officials, until 11am.”

Other political commentators, like Ben Max, were also critical of Adams’ response. 

Impacted Stocks: Airline companies like United Airlines Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL) and Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) are experiencing delays and some cancellations in New York City airports, according to CNN. But, that's not out of the ordinary for airline companies, and the rain would have to persist for it to cause any major issues. 

Uber Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:UBER) and Lyft Inc (NASDAQ:LYFT) may see fewer rides in New York City this weekend as people try to avoid unnecessary travel. But, if subways and other public transportation in NYC remain impacted after the rain stops, there could actually be an increase in demand for ride-sharing services in the city. 

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