Storms battering New York City caused flash floods in the hours before the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. Torrential overnight downpours left some cars stranded in the streets, but the match is expected to get underway as scheduled at 3pm local time.
Training Postponed Due to Storms
Both Spain and Argentina were forced to postpone training the night before the final as thunderstorms hit the city, drenching it in 52.6mm of rain overnight. The flash floods triggered by the deluge left some vehicles stranded.
Inclement Weather Throughout the Tournament
The storms are the latest episode in a spate of inclement weather that has affected the World Cup. England were late arriving in Miami the night before their bronze final meeting with France due to another storm, and had their last-16 match against Mexico delayed by an hour for the same reason. Various other matches have also been delayed, including France's group stage defeat over Iraq, where half-time lasted close to two hours.
Previous Health Concerns
Health concerns were sparked in New York the week before the match as wildfire smoke blown south from Canada engulfed the city, causing officials to issue a public health warning against vigorous outdoor activity. Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup task force, admitted that the smoke could impact the final if air quality were too poor. However, the rain from the thunderstorms helped disperse the smoke, making air quality less of an issue.
Match Expected to Proceed on Time
With the previous night's storms now well clear of New York, the World Cup final seems set to get underway as scheduled at 3pm local time (8pm BST). Temperatures in the city had hit 23C by 9am EST and will only get hotter, with a beating sun helping to dry out the playing surface at the New York/New Jersey Stadium. Temperatures of 27C are expected by kick-off.
