Flash Flood

When it rains in New York, it really, really, really rains. Or maybe it rains as hard as it does in Ottawa, but the streets just retain the water better (or worse, really). New York just gets soaked when it rains. When it rains, it rains ALL day long. Broken umbrellas are trashed on the sidewalks or stuffed in garbage bins and there's often someone every couple blocks selling umbrellas to those unfortunate, soaking wet people.

Not that umbrellas really help either.
Here is a photo of Chantal standing in a puddle of water.

These puddles form at the edge of every street corner, all rushing to the drains and the sewers below. The puddles are so deep that when we were walking together to the subway I had to take a detour down the side street where the water level is lower and even then I still had to make a heroic leap to safety. I had to do that on at least 3 different streets.
I am going to buy a pair of rubber boots. It is the only way to go anywhere without getting drenched when it is raining.