Flash flood warnings have been declared for parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland amid forecasts for severe thunderstorms and heavy rain Thursday. Newsweek's live blog is closed.

The New York City area and New Jersey declared states of emergency Thursday as heavy rain with the potential for flash floods approached the region. Weather is expected to dump several inches of rain in the New York-New Jersey areas as residents make their evening commutes home.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and her acting counterpart in New Jersey said they were declaring states of emergency for areas facing the threat of extreme flash floods forecast on Thursday for much of the Eastern Seaboard.