Alert archive / New York / Flood Watches in 2011

Flood Watch 6, NWS Buffalo, NY

April 3, 201116 counties in New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this flood watch at Apr 3, 2011, 3:55 PM EDT for 16 counties in New York. It took effect at Apr 4, 2011, 1:00 PM EDT. It was in force for 9 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 3, 2011, 3:55 PM EDT (19:55 UTC)
In effect from
Apr 4, 2011, 1:00 PM EDT
Expired
Apr 4, 2011, 10:03 PM EDT
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Flood severity
None

Counties Allegany County, NY, Cattaraugus County, NY, Cayuga County, NY, Chautauqua County, NY, Erie County, NY, Genesee County, NY, Jefferson County, NY, Lewis County, NY, Livingston County, NY, Monroe County, NY, Niagara County, NY, Ontario County, NY, Orleans County, NY, Oswego County, NY, Wayne County, NY, Wyoming County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:54 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 87 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 2011-04-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2011-04-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 77 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
939 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
114 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
137 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.

530 
WGUS61 KBUF 031955
FFABUF

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
355 PM EDT SUN APR 3 2011

...HEAVY RAIN MAY PRODUCE FLOODING CONDITIONS ...

.A WARM FRONT LIFTING ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT AND MONDAY WILL
PRODUCE A ROUND OF RAIN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAIN IN
THUNDERSTORMS. RAINFALL OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY MAY PRODUCE
AROUND AN INCH ALONG THE LAKE ONTARIO SHORELINE COUNTIES TO THE
NORTH COUNTRY WITH A HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH FOR THE
REST OF THE REGION. ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG
COLD FRONT WILL BRING AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF RAIN TO THE SOUTHERN
TIER AND THE BLACK RIVER VALLEY EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. THE COMBINED
TOTAL FROM THE TWO RAIN EVENT WILL RANGE FROM AN INCH AND A HALF
TO TWO INCHES FOR MUCH OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN NEW YORK AND MAY
FORCE THE WATER LEVELS IN THE WATERWAYS TO RISE TO OR EXCEED FLOOD
STAGE. MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY EVENING
WILL MELT ANY REMAINING SNOW PACK IN THE HILLS OF THE SOUTHERN
TIER...AND MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL SNOWPACK ON THE TUG HILL MAY ADD
MORE THAN AN INCH OF SNOW MELT RUNOFF TO THE ALREADY HIGH
RAINFALL AMOUNTS. 

NYZ001>008-010>014-019>021-085-040400-
/O.NEW.KBUF.FA.A.0006.110404T1700Z-110405T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-OSWEGO-JEFFERSON-
LEWIS-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA-
CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...ROCHESTER...
NEWARK...FAIR HAVEN...OSWEGO...WATERTOWN...LOWVILLE...BUFFALO...
BATAVIA...WARSAW...GENESEO...CANANDAIGUA...JAMESTOWN...OLEAN...
WELLSVILLE...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
355 PM EDT SUN APR 3 2011

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW YORK...
 INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...IN CENTRAL NEW YORK...
 JEFFERSON...LEWIS...NORTHERN CAYUGA AND OSWEGO. IN WESTERN NEW 
 YORK...ALLEGANY...CATTARAUGUS...CHAUTAUQUA...GENESEE...
 LIVINGSTON...MONROE...NIAGARA...NORTHERN ERIE...ONTARIO...
 ORLEANS...SOUTHERN ERIE...WAYNE AND WYOMING.

* FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING

* RAINFALL TOTALS OF ONE AND A HALF TO TWO INCHES WITH SOME
  ADDITIONAL RUNOFF FROM SNOW MELT.

* EXPECT RAPID RISES IN THE SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS WITH SOME
  MINOR FLOODING POSSIBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE
ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO
FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING
DEVELOP. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RADIO AND TV
STATIONS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
296 
WGUS61 KBUF 040855
FFABUF

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
455 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011

...HEAVY RAIN MAY PRODUCE FLOODING CONDITIONS ...

.A WARM FRONT LIFTING ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING WILL PRODUCE
A ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAIN IN
THUNDERSTORMS. ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS
POSSIBLE LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT AS A STRONG COLD FRONT CROSSES
THE AREA. THE COMBINED TOTAL FROM THE TWO RAIN EVENTS WILL RANGE
FROM 1.0 TO 1.5 INCHES...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE WHERE
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP. THIS RAINFALL MAY FORCE THE WATER LEVELS
IN AREA RIVER AND CREEKS TO RISE TO OR EXCEED FLOOD STAGE. MUCH
WARMER TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL ALSO MELT ANY REMAINING SNOW PACK
IN THE HILLS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER...AND MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL
SNOWPACK ON THE TUG HILL MAY ADD MORE THAN AN INCH OF SNOW MELT
RUNOFF TO THE ALREADY HIGH RAINFALL AMOUNTS.

NYZ001>008-010>014-019>021-085-041700-
/O.CON.KBUF.FA.A.0006.110404T1700Z-110405T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-OSWEGO-JEFFERSON-
LEWIS-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA-
CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...ROCHESTER...
NEWARK...FAIR HAVEN...OSWEGO...WATERTOWN...LOWVILLE...BUFFALO...
BATAVIA...WARSAW...GENESEO...CANANDAIGUA...JAMESTOWN...OLEAN...
WELLSVILLE...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
455 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW YORK...INCLUDING THE 
 FOLLOWING COUNTIES...IN CENTRAL NEW YORK...JEFFERSON...LEWIS...
 NORTHERN CAYUGA AND OSWEGO. IN WESTERN NEW YORK...ALLEGANY...
 CATTARAUGUS...CHAUTAUQUA...GENESEE...LIVINGSTON...MONROE...
 NIAGARA...NORTHERN ERIE...ONTARIO...ORLEANS...SOUTHERN ERIE...
 WAYNE AND WYOMING.

* FROM 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING

* RAINFALL TOTALS OF ONE TO ONE AND A HALF INCHES WITH SOME
  ADDITIONAL RUNOFF FROM SNOW MELT.

* EXPECT RAPID RISES IN THE SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS WITH SOME 
 MINOR FLOODING POSSIBLE. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE
ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO
FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING
DEVELOP. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RADIO AND TV
STATIONS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES

&&

$$
554 
WGUS61 KBUF 041409
FFABUF

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1009 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011

NYZ001>008-010>014-019>021-085-042215-
/O.CON.KBUF.FA.A.0006.110404T1700Z-110405T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-OSWEGO-JEFFERSON-
LEWIS-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA-
CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...ROCHESTER...
NEWARK...FAIR HAVEN...OSWEGO...WATERTOWN...LOWVILLE...BUFFALO...
BATAVIA...WARSAW...GENESEO...CANANDAIGUA...JAMESTOWN...OLEAN...
WELLSVILLE...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
1009 AM EDT MON APR 4 2011

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW YORK...INCLUDING THE 
 FOLLOWING COUNTIES...IN CENTRAL NEW YORK...JEFFERSON...LEWIS...
 NORTHERN CAYUGA AND OSWEGO. IN WESTERN NEW YORK...ALLEGANY...
 CATTARAUGUS...CHAUTAUQUA...GENESEE...LIVINGSTON...MONROE...
 NIAGARA...NORTHERN ERIE...ONTARIO...ORLEANS...SOUTHERN ERIE...
 WAYNE AND WYOMING.

* THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING

* RAINFALL TOTALS OF AROUND ONE INCH WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
  DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS.

* EXPECT RISES IN THE SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS WITH SOME MINOR
  FLOODING POSSIBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE
ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO
FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING
DEVELOP. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RADIO AND TV
STATIONS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES

&&

$$

HITCHCOCK
713 
WGUS61 KBUF 041936
FFABUF

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
336 PM EDT MON APR 4 2011

NYZ001>008-010-011-042045-
/O.CAN.KBUF.FA.A.0006.000000T0000Z-110405T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-OSWEGO-JEFFERSON-
LEWIS-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...ROCHESTER...
NEWARK...FAIR HAVEN...OSWEGO...WATERTOWN...LOWVILLE...BUFFALO...
BATAVIA
336 PM EDT MON APR 4 2011

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW YORK HAS
BEEN CANCELLED. 

THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS NOW EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA AND
THE SOUTHERN TIER OF NEW YORK. RAINFALL ACROSS THE NIAGARA
FRONTIER EAST ACROSS ROCHESTER TO THE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO REGION
IS NOW EXPECTED TO BE AROUND A HALF INCH...WITH A FEW ISOLATED
AREAS OF HEAVIER RAINFALL FROM THUNDERSTORMS. THESE RAINFALL
AMOUNTS WILL NOT RESULT IN ANY FLOODING.

$$

NYZ012>014-019>021-085-050345-
/O.CON.KBUF.FA.A.0006.000000T0000Z-110405T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA-CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-
SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WARSAW...GENESEO...CANANDAIGUA...
JAMESTOWN...OLEAN...WELLSVILLE...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
336 PM EDT MON APR 4 2011

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* A PORTION OF WESTERN NEW YORK...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING 
 COUNTIES...ALLEGANY...CATTARAUGUS...CHAUTAUQUA...LIVINGSTON...
 ONTARIO...SOUTHERN ERIE AND WYOMING.

* THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING

* RAINFALL TOTALS OF AROUND ONE INCH POSSIBLE WITH LOCALLY HIGHER
  AMOUNTS IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS.

* EXPECT SIGNIFICANT RISES IN SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS TONIGHT
  THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING WITH SOME MINOR FLOODING POSSIBLE. MINOR
  FLOODING ALSO POSSIBLE IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE
ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO
FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING
DEVELOP. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RADIO AND TV
STATIONS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES

&&

$$

HITCHCOCK
936 
WGUS61 KBUF 050203
FFABUF

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1003 PM EDT MON APR 4 2011

NYZ012>014-019>021-085-050315-
/O.CAN.KBUF.FA.A.0006.000000T0000Z-110405T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA-CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-
SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WARSAW...GENESEO...CANANDAIGUA...
JAMESTOWN...OLEAN...WELLSVILLE...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
1003 PM EDT MON APR 4 2011

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF WESTERN NEW YORK HAS BEEN
CANCELLED.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THIS AREA DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS HAS
GENERALLY RANGED FROM ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN 
SOUTHERN ERIE COUNTY ACROSS THE FINGER LAKES REGION...TO AN INCH
AND A HALF NEAR THE PENNSYLVANIA BORDER.

WHILE ADDITIONAL SHOWERS OVERNIGHT COULD RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL
TENTH OR TWO OF RAINFALL...THIS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO CAUSE ANY
HYDROLOGIC ISSUES.

$$

RSH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 4:08 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryBUF24 hr

Nearby

Flood Watches in New York, 2011Every flood watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.