Three days before the official beginning of summer, heavy downpours rolled into the tri-state area Thursday, turning the evening commute into a wet nightmare for residents of the Hudson Valley and beyond.

The storm downed a tree onto the ramp leading to the Palisades Parkway just inches from a school bus. At the time of the incident, no children were aboard the bus, and no one was injured. Another school bus full of students almost got stuck in the mud in the same location.

The roads throughout the region were slick with water and dotted with ever-deepening puddles that made for a dangerous commute. Gary Rigges, a truck driver from Middletown, says no one should be out on the road in a downpour unless it is absolutely necessary.

While the rain is a nuisance for most, not everyone was lamenting the washout.

"I like the weather," says Eli Semerovich, of West Nyack. "Because I don't have to water the flowers anymore."