NEW YORK (AP)  - A total of almost 50 million people in the U.S. are under flood watches, and states of emergency have been declared in New Jersey and New York City, with state workers being sent home early.
 A 13-year-old boy died after he was trapped in a storm drain in Maryland during heavy rainfall and flooding on the East Coast, officials said.
Airports in NYC, New Jersey and Philadelphia all reported significant flight delays and cancellations as the severe weather arrived on Thursday.
Flights leaving all three of New York’s largest airports are delayed, and all inbound flights are being held until conditions improve, local media report.
Planes have also been grounded at airports in Washington DC and Baltimore, Maryland.
A major highway in the New York borough of Queens was closed in both directions, with traffic cameras and social media posts showing vehicles stranded in deep water.
Officials in New York have warned that heavy rain could also flood parts of the subway and basements.
People living in basements have been urged to move to higher floors and New Yorkers are being asked to avoid travel until Friday afternoon.
The commuter rail system into suburban Long Island suspended trains on one of its busiest lines as officials pleaded with people to stay at home.
“Stay home this evening unless it’s absolutely necessary for you to go out,” Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman told Long Island residents.