New York City, July 14, 2016

★★★★ Bodies dragged their way through the saturated air, as now and then a drop fell from the gloomy sky. After a few hours in the cold office, the air on the sidewalk was like a warm compress on the stiffened knees. A moving van went by with its windows down, but a string of cabs all had their windows up. The afternoon went from dim to dark, quickly, and sidewalk vendors hurried to throw covers over their merchandise. In an instant, people were sprinting down the avenue, chased by onrushing white waves of rain. Coils of rain writhed in headlights. A Citibike lay across the entry of the J. Crew, where its rider had taken refuge. Lightning flickered; the puddle of floodwater filled most of the curb lane. Occasionally someone would dart out into the deluge, hopelessly signaling for a taxi, only to retreat. People gathered in office windows to watch the desperation and misery playing out below. The storm subsided enough to lure a few people out, and then the wind whipped up and the heavier rain sent them scattering again. A man lugging an instrument case lost and regained a flip-flop. Lightning was still flashing even as sunlight began to shine on a water tower on a rooftop up the avenue. Shortly there was full sun, even as a passing vehicle threw water on the sidewalk. A cascade continued to pour through the roof onto the 18th Street 1 platform. Half an hour later, uptown, there was not a cloud to be seen in the sky.