Alert archive / New York / Flash Flood Warnings in 2014

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Buffalo, NY

May 21, 2014Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this flash flood warning at May 21, 2014, 2:01 AM EDT for Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, New York. It was in force for 11 hr. 14 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: May 21, 2014, 2:01 AM EDT (06:01 UTC)
Expired: May 21, 2014, 1:00 PM EDT
In force: 11 hr
Issued by: NWS Buffalo, NY
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Cattaraugus County, NY, Chautauqua County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 97 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:05 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
May 21, 6:00 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Ellington, NY	ROUTE 62 FLOODED
May 21, 6:00 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Portland, NY	SEVERAL ROADS FLOODED AND CLOSED.
May 21, 6:00 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Ross Mills, NY	SEVERAL ROADS FLOODED AND CLOSED.
May 21, 6:45 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Frewsburg, NY	ROUTE 62 NB AND SB IS CLOSED BETWEEN THE VIILLAGE KIATONE AND THE VILLAGE OF FREWSBURG.
May 21, 7:12 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Mayville, NY	ROUTE 394 EB AND WB IS CLOSED BETWEEN MEMORIAL DR AND MATHER RD IN THE VILLAGE OF MAYVILLE
May 21, 7:20 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Mayville, NY	MEDIA REPORT WITH VIDEO OF FLASH FLOODING OCCURRING ALONG THE CANAL IN MAYVILLE
May 21, 7:30 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Jamestown, NY	ROUTE 394 EB AND WB IS CLOSED BETWEEN MCDANIEL AVE AND DUNHAM AVE
May 21, 7:45 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Lakewood, NY	WATER 3 TO 4 INCHES DEEP COVERING ROUTE 394 NEAR THE CHAUTAUQUA MALL IN LAKEWOOD
May 21, 8:00 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 W Lakewood, NY	FLOODING ON FAIRMONT AVE BETWEEN LAKEWOOD AND ASHVILLE. TIME ESTIMATED.
May 21, 8:00 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Jamestown, NY	FLOODING ON JONES AND GIFFORD AVE...AND KIANTONE ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED.
May 21, 8:47 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Falconer, NY	CULVERT WASHED OUT ON COUNTY ROUTE 380 NEAR THE I-86 OVERPASS IN FALCONER
May 21, 9:00 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Kennedy, NY	FLOODING NEAR THE PINE BLUFF MOBILE HOME PARK. TIME ESTIMATED.
May 21, 9:53 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Falconer, NY	FLOODING ON ALLEN STREET..TIFFANY STREET...AND IN ALLEN PARK
May 21, 9:53 AM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Jamestown, NY	MEDIA REPORT WITH PIC OF WATER FLOWING ACROSS ROADWAY IN ALLEN PARK

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 00:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 97 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: 1231 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 81 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 306 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.

713 
WGUS51 KBUF 210601
FFWBUF
NYC009-013-211100-
/O.NEW.KBUF.FF.W.0005.140521T0601Z-140521T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
201 AM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...
  CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...DUNKIRK...JAMESTOWN...FREDONIA...

* UNTIL 700 AM EDT

* AT 155 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  A NARROW CORRIDOR OF TRAINING THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF           
  CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND LAKE ERIE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY  
  PRODUCED 1 TO 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OF UP   
  TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE LOCALLY OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. EXCESSIVE    
  RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL  
  STREAMS...LOW LYING AREAS...AND URBAN AREAS SUCH AS WESTFIELD...   
  MAYVILLE...AND JAMESTOWN.


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. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL ALSO OCCUR IN 
TOWNS WHERE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS BECOME OVERWHELMED.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 4199 7937 4225 7978 4229 7974 4242 7946
      4250 7935 4200 7848

$$

HITCHCOCK

5 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS71 KBUF 210742
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
342 AM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

NYC009-013-211100-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-140521T1100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CATTARAUGUS NY-CHAUTAUQUA NY-
342 AM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 AM EDT FOR
CHAUTAUQUA AND SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES...

AT 335 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE AN AREA OF TRAINING THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY 
RAINFALL ACROSS THE REGION. RADAR ESTIMATES THAT 2 TO 3 INCHES OF 
RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER THE PAST FOUR HOURS IN SOME AREAS. MORE 
THUNDERSTORMS OVER LAKE ERIE MAY BRING AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 1.5 INCHES 
OF RAIN LOCALLY.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN WILL PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING OF 
SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS AS WELL AS LOW LYING AREAS. FLOODING IN 
TOWNS IS ALSO LIKELY AS STORM DRAINAGE BECOMES OVERWHELMED.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...
WESTFIELD...PORTLAND...STOCKTON...ELLERY...GERRY...JAMESTOWN...
CARROLL...AND SOUTH VALLEY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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. NEVER DRIVE THROUGH 
FLOODED ROADS...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN!

&&

LAT...LON 4200 7867 4199 7937 4225 7978 4229 7974
      4242 7946 4244 7944

$$

HITCHCOCK

545 
WGUS51 KBUF 211014
FFWBUF
NYC009-013-211700-
/O.EXT.KBUF.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-140521T1700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
614 AM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...
  CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY IN WESTERN NEW YORK...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF JAMESTOWN...

* UNTIL 100 PM EDT WEDNESDAY

* AT 604 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
  PERSISTENT CORRIDOR OF TRAINING THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF          
  CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND SOUTHWEST CATTARAUGUS COUNTY. ADDITIONAL     
  THUNDERSTORMS OVER LAKE ERIE WILL CROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING.   
  DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN      
  ALREADY IN SOME AREAS...WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO  
  2 INCHES POSSIBLE LOCALLY.

THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION! 
SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING IS LIKELY ESPECIALLY ACROSS CHAUTAUQUA 
COUNTY IN A CORRIDOR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WESTFIELD TO 
JAMESTOWN. SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS WILL EXCEED THEIR BANKS AND LOW 
LYING AREAS WILL SEE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL 
BECOME IMPASSABLE AND WASH OUT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 4200 7867 4199 7937 4225 7978 4229 7974
      4242 7946 4244 7944

$$

HITCHCOCK

310 
WGUS71 KBUF 211350
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
950 AM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

NYC009-013-211700-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-140521T1700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CATTARAUGUS NY-CHAUTAUQUA NY-
950 AM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EDT FOR 
CHAUTAUQUA AND FAR SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES...

AT 945 AM EDT...BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS 
SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND FAR 
SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES. THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL 
INCLUDES WESTFIELD...MAYVILLE...BEMUS POINT...JAMESTOWN...AND 
FREWSBURG. THIS HEAVY RAIN HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING 
ACROSS THE REGION. 

ONLY LIGHT ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY THIS 
AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH THE HEAVIEST RAINS HAVE ENDED...SOME CREEKS AND 
STREAMS CAN RISE EVEN HOURS AFTER THE HEAVIEST RAINS HAVE ENDED. 
THOSE IN THE WARNING AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATERS 
AND WASHED OUT ROADWAYS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

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 4242 7946 4244 7944 4216 7901 4200 7883
      4199 7937 4225 7978 4229 7974

$$

APFFEL

722 
WGUS71 KBUF 211612
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1212 PM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

NYC009-013-211700-
/O.CON.KBUF.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-140521T1700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CATTARAUGUS NY-CHAUTAUQUA NY-
1212 PM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EDT FOR
CHAUTAUQUA AND SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES...

AT 1210 PM EDT...HEAVY RAINS HAVE ENDED ACROSS CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND 
FAR SOUTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES. BETWEEN 2 AND 4 
INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF 
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND FAR SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES. THE 
AXIS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL INCLUDES WESTFIELD...MAYVILLE...BEMUS 
POINT...JAMESTOWN...AND FREWSBURG. THIS HEAVY RAIN HAS CAUSED 
SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. 

BY EARLY AFTERNOON...MOST CREEKS AND STREAMS HAVE ALREADY CRESTED 
ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. THERE STILL MAY BE FLOODING INTO THIS 
AFTERNOON FROM SOME SLOWER RESPONDING CREEKS...POSSIBLY ALONG 
PORTIONS OF THE CONEWANGO CREEK AND FRENCH CREEK. THESE SHOULD 
GRADUALLY DROP THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS

THOSE IN THE WARNING AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ALERT FOR WASHED OUT 
ROADWAYS.

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 4242 7946 4244 7944 4216 7901 4200 7883
      4199 7937 4225 7978 4229 7974

$$

APFFEL

427 
WGUS71 KBUF 211652
FFSBUF

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1252 PM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

NYC009-013-211702-
/O.EXP.KBUF.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-140521T1700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CATTARAUGUS NY-CHAUTAUQUA NY-
1252 PM EDT WED MAY 21 2014

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR CHAUTAUQUA AND
SOUTHWESTERN CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES...

PONDING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR
AWHILE UNTIL THE WATER HAS TIME TO RUN OFF.

LAT...LON 4242 7946 4244 7944 4216 7901 4200 7883
      4199 7937 4225 7978 4229 7974

$$

APFFEL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 21, 12:40 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BUF	Cattaraugus, Chautauqua	95 min
May 21, 4:03 AM EDT	Flash Flood Watch	BUF	Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua	18 hr
May 21, 10:00 AM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	BUF	Chautauqua	3 hr
May 21, 5:56 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BUF	Cattaraugus	49 min
May 21, 7:45 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BUF	Allegany, Cattaraugus	3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in New York, 2014 Every flash flood warning in 2014

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.