Alert archive / New York / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 22, NWS Buffalo, NY

September 11, 2011Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, Erie County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this flash flood warning at Sep 11, 2011, 12:40 PM EDT for Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, Erie County, New York. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report 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: Sep 11, 2011, 12:40 PM EDT (16:40 UTC)
Expired: Sep 11, 2011, 3:45 PM EDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Buffalo, NY
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Cattaraugus County, NY, Chautauqua County, NY, Erie County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:41 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Sep 11, 1:06 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	North Collins, NY	MULTIPLE ROADS FLOODED IN THE TOWN

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, 4.7 hours before the alert went out and 48 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 1397 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 19 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.

484 
WGUS51 KBUF 111640
FFWBUF
NYC009-013-029-111945-
/O.NEW.KBUF.FF.W.0022.110911T1640Z-110911T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1240 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EXTREME NORTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...
  EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...
  SOUTHWESTERN ERIE COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...

* UNTIL 345 PM EDT

* AT 1236 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED  
  FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA. RAINFALL  
  IN EXCESS OF TWO INCHES IS EXPECTED IN AND AROUND NORTH COLLINS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY
ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW
LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

&&

LAT...LON 4256 7918 4256 7916 4257 7914 4259 7914
      4267 7904 4273 7885 4263 7872 4251 7893
      4247 7903 4255 7919

$$

APFFEL

3 follow-up statements

820 
WGUS71 KBUF 111708
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
108 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

NYC009-013-111712-
/O.CAN.KBUF.FF.W.0022.000000T0000Z-110911T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CATTARAUGUS NY-CHAUTAUQUA NY-
108 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR EXTREME
NORTHEASTERN CHAUTAUQUA AND EXTREME NORTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS
COUNTIES...

THE STORM HAS MOVED OUT OF CATTARAUGUS AND CHAUTAUQUA COUNTIES...BUT 
IT CONTINUES TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN SOUTHERN ERIE COUNTY. 

LAT...LON 4259 7914 4267 7904 4273 7885 4263 7872
      4251 7893 4257 7914

$$

NYC029-111945-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0022.000000T0000Z-110911T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ERIE NY-
108 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHERN ERIE COUNTY...

AT 1259 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING OVER THE WARNED 
AREA. RADAR ESTIMATES THAT UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN 
NORTH COLLINS. WITH THE CELL NEARLY STATIONARY...AN ADDITIONAL INCH 
OR MORE OF RAIN IS POSSIBLE. MAJOR FLASH FLOODING IN AND AROUND 
NORTH COLLINS IS LIKELY. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
DERBY...BOSTON...LAKE ERIE BEACH...EDEN...AND ANGOLA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

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 4259 7914 4267 7904 4273 7885 4263 7872
      4251 7893 4257 7914

$$

APFFEL

061 
WGUS71 KBUF 111755
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
155 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

NYC029-111945-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0022.000000T0000Z-110911T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ERIE NY-
155 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM EDT FOR
CENTRAL ERIE COUNTY...

AT 148 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED NUMEROUS 
ROAD CLOSURES DUE TO FLASH FLOODING IN AND AROUND NORTH COLLINS. 
RADAR ESTIMATES OVER THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN NORTH 
COLLINS. WHILE THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS ENDED...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE 
TO DEVELOP IN THE AREA...WITH SOME ADDITIONAL RAINFALL POSSIBLE 
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. 

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO EDEN... 
COLLINS...AND FARNHAM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY
ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW
LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

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 4259 7914 4267 7904 4273 7885 4263 7872
      4251 7893 4257 7914

$$

APFFEL

901 
WGUS71 KBUF 111942
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
342 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

NYC029-111950-
/O.EXP.KBUF.FF.W.0022.000000T0000Z-110911T1945Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ERIE NY-
342 PM EDT SUN SEP 11 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 345 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL ERIE
COUNTY...

AT 340 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 BE POSSIBLE FOR
AWHILE UNTIL THE WATER HAS TIME TO RUN OFF.

LAT...LON 4259 7914 4267 7904 4273 7885 4263 7872
      4251 7893 4257 7914

$$

TMA

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 11, 12:34 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BUF	Erie	56 min
Sep 11, 12:43 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BUF	Genesee	62 min
Sep 11, 12:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BUF	Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Wyoming	44 min
Sep 11, 1:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BUF	Livingston, Wyoming	42 min
Sep 11, 1:34 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	BUF	Livingston, Wyoming	3 hr
Sep 11, 1:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BUF	Ontario	50 min
Sep 11, 2:04 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BUF	Genesee, Wyoming	41 min
Sep 11, 2:17 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BUF	Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Wyoming	43 min
Sep 11, 2:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BUF	Livingston, Monroe, Ontario	44 min
Sep 11, 4:31 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BUF	Chautauqua	59 min
Sep 11, 5:01 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BUF	Erie	59 min
Sep 11, 5:21 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BUF	Niagara	114 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in New York, 2011 Every flash flood warning in 2011

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.