Alert archive / New York / Flash Flood Warnings in 2008

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Buffalo, NY

August 5, 2008Wyoming County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this flash flood warning at Aug 5, 2008, 5:38 PM EDT for Wyoming County, New York. It was in force for 6 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 5, 2008, 5:38 PM EDT (21:38 UTC)
Expired
Aug 5, 2008, 11:30 PM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Wyoming County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:40 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 5, 5:55 PM EDTFLASH FLOODGainesville, NYNUMEROUS STREETS FLOODED AND ROADS CLOSED. BASEMENT FLOODING AS WELL.
Aug 5, 5:55 PM EDTFLASH FLOODSilver Springs, NYNUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED INCLUDING THE JUNCTION OF ROUTES 19 AND 19A.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 61 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 2008-08-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 98 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 2008-08-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 35 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
98 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-68 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1054 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
35 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
114 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WGUS51 KBUF 052138
FFWBUF
NYC121-060030-
/O.NEW.KBUF.FF.W.0007.080805T2138Z-080806T0030Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
538 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WYOMING COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK

* UNTIL 830 PM EDT

* AT 531 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED 
NEAR GAINESVILLE...OR ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GENESEO...MOVING 
EAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE STORM PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING WILL AFFECT...
  GAINESVILLE...
  CASTILE...
  SILVER SPRINGS...

SOME SMALL CREEKS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE COTTON 
CREEK...EAST KOY CREEK...AND WOLF CREEK

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE
BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR
IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...
DIPS...OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...
EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER
GROUND.

LAT...LON 4255 7828 4276 7827 4277 7797 4267 7797
      4262 7800 4261 7802 4260 7801 4259 7802
      4259 7804 4257 7803 4255 7805

$$

HITCHCOCK
5 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS71 KBUF 052204
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
604 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

NYC121-060030-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-080806T0030Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WYOMING NY-
604 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR 
WYOMING COUNTY...

AT 558 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN.  THESE 
STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR GAINESVILLE AND SILVER SPRINGS...MOVING 
EAST AT 20 MPH. DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES OVER 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS 
FALLEN IN PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WYOMING COUNTY 
OVER THE PAST 2 HOURS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO AN INCH 
ARE POSSIBLE.

FLASH FLOODING WILL IMPACT AREAS FROM GAINESVILLE TO CASTILE AND 
SILVER SPRINGS. THIS INCLUDES AREAS ALONG COTTON CREEK...EAST KOY 
CREEK AND TRIBUTARIES...AND WOLF CREEK. TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS 
REPORT NUMEROUS ROAD CLOSURES DUE TO FLOODING IN THE AREA... 
INCLUDING THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 19 AND 19A.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE
BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS 
SAFELY. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN

LAT...LON 4255 7828 4276 7827 4277 7797 4267 7797
      4262 7800 4261 7802 4260 7801 4259 7802
      4259 7804 4257 7803 4255 7805

$$

HITCHCOCK
000 
WGUS71 KBUF 052341
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
741 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

NYC121-060030-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-080806T0030Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WYOMING NY-
741 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR 
WYOMING COUNTY...

AT 736 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WYOMING COUNTY HAVE 
RECEIVED 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE PAST THREE HOURS. HEAVY 
RAINFALL HAS ENDED IN THE AREA...HOWEVER FLOODING FROM THE PREVIOUS 
RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MID EVENING.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO SILVER 
SPRINGS...CASTILE...AND GAINESVILLE. SOME SMALL CREEKS THAT MAY 
EXPERIENCE FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE COTTON CREEK...EAST KOY 
CREEK...AND WOLF CREEK.

TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE REPORTED NUMEROUS 
ROAD CLOSURES IN AND AROUND GAINESVILLE...INCLUDING THE INTERSECTION 
OF ROUTES 19 AND 19A. 

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE
BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE 
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS 
SAFELY. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN

LAT...LON 4255 7828 4276 7827 4277 7797 4267 7797
      4262 7800 4261 7802 4260 7801 4259 7802
      4259 7804 4257 7803 4255 7805

$$

HITCHCOCK
000 
WGUS51 KBUF 060023
FFWBUF
NYC121-060330-
/O.EXT.KBUF.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-080806T0330Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
823 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WYOMING COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK

* UNTIL 1130 PM EDT

* AT 815 PM EDT...LOCAL FIRE OFFICIALS CONTINUED TO REPORT FLASH     
  FLOODING RESULTING FROM HEAVY RAINFALL EARLIER THIS EVENING.       
  DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A 2 HOUR     
  PERIOD IN AREAS NEAR GAINESVILLE...SILVER SPRINGS...AND CASTILE. 

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO            
  GAINESVILLE...SILVER SPRINGS...ROCK GLEN...AND CASTILE.

LOCAL FIRE OFFICIALS REPORTED WATER IS RISING AGAIN ALONG EAST KOY 
CREEK AND OATKA CREEK DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THUNDERSTORMS. 
NUMEROUS ROADS REMAIN CLOSED IN THE AREA...INCLUDING SEVERAL 
PORTIONS OF ROUTE 19.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE
BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS 
SAFELY. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN


LAT...LON 4255 7828 4276 7827 4277 7797 4267 7797
      4262 7800 4261 7802 4260 7801 4259 7802
      4259 7804 4257 7803 4255 7805

$$

HITCHCOCK
000 
WGUS71 KBUF 060139
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
939 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

NYC121-060330-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-080806T0330Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WYOMING NY-
939 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1130 PM EDT FOR 
WYOMING COUNTY...

AT 935 PM EDT...LOCAL FIRE OFFICIALS CONTINUED TO REPORT FLASH 
FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAINFALL EARLIER THIS EVENING. DOPPLER RADAR 
INDICATES 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A 2 HOUR PERIOD IN AREAS 
NEAR GAINESVILLE...SILVER SPRINGS...AND CASTILE.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
GAINESVILLE...SILVER SPRINGS...ROCK GLEN...AND CASTILE

LOCAL FIRE OFFICIALS REPORTED HIGH WATER ALONG EAST KOY CREEK 
AND OATKA CREEK DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THUNDERSTORMS. NUMEROUS 
ROADS REMAIN CLOSED IN THE GAINESVILLE...SILVER SPRINGS...AND ROCK 
GLEN AREA...INCLUDING SEVERAL PORTIONS OF ROUTE 19.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4255 7828 4276 7827 4277 7797 4267 7797
      4262 7800 4261 7802 4260 7801 4259 7802
      4259 7804 4257 7803 4255 7805

$$

HITCHCOCK
000 
WGUS71 KBUF 060325
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1125 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

NYC121-060331-
/O.EXP.KBUF.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-080806T0330Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WYOMING NY-
1125 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2008

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 1130 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
WYOMING COUNTY...

AT 1121 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD EXITED THE AREA...THUS 
THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. 

PONDING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE 
FOR AWHILE UNTIL THE WATER HAS TIME TO RUN OFF. ROUTE 19 IN ROCK 
GLEN IS STILL CLOSED IN SOUTHEAST WYOMING COUNTY.

LAT...LON 4255 7828 4276 7827 4277 7797 4267 7797
      4262 7800 4261 7802 4260 7801 4259 7802
      4259 7804 4257 7803 4255 7805

$$

JJP

The office that day

Everything else NWS Buffalo, NY issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 5, 6:48 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF63 min
Aug 5, 6:53 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBUFMonroe3 hr
Aug 5, 6:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFErie, Niagara53 min
Aug 5, 7:04 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF86 min
Aug 5, 7:30 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBUFOntario, Wayne3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in New York, 2008Every flash flood warning in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.