Flooding in New York, November 9 to 11, 1996

A strengthening low pressure system moving up through the Great Lakes region and its trailing cold front brought widespread heavy rains and thunderstorms to central New York from the early morning of the 8th into the early morning hours of the 9th. Heavy rain began falling during the pre-dawn hours of the 8th across the Finger Lakes and Central Southern Tier regions of New York. By the time rainfall began to taper off across these areas in the late afternoon and early evening, 2 to 4 inches of rain had fallen. Already saturated ground conditions prior to this event contributed to significant flash floods. Among the hardest hit areas were western sections of Chemung county and southeastern portions of Steuben county. Smaller streams and creeks became raging torrents, washing out numerous homes and bridges and damaging homes. Several evacuations were also ordered. A large stretch of route 17 was closed for much of the afternoon and evening of the 8th through Chemung and Steuben counties due to high water conditions. Countywide states of emergency were declared over much of this region. Further east, heavy rains spread into the Susquehanna and Western Mohawk Valley regions of New York during the afternoon and early evening hours of the 8th. Sections of Onondaga county in and near the city of Syracuse experienced substantial flash flooding by early evening as the Ley Creek flowed out of its banks and threatened homes. Evacuations were carried out. Eventually, heavy rainfall made its way into the Western Catskills late in the evening of the 8th and into the early morning of the 9th. Again, 2 to 4 inches of rain were common by the time daylight came on the 9th. Dangerous flash flooding occurred during the overnight period. Creeks and streams quickly rose out of their banks and affected some residential areas. High water conditions forced numerous road closures and evacuations early on the 9th in Delaware county between Arkville and Fleischmanns and also in and around Delhi. A man and a woman near Arkville sustained minor injuries as they were rescued from their vehicle in rising flood waters by law enforcement officials. In northern Sullivan county, portions of route 17 near Livingston Manor were closed for several hours. By mid afternoon on the 9th, most area creeks and streams had receded back within their banks. Widespread flash flooding ultimately gave rise to main stem river flooding in the Chemung, Susquehanna, and Delaware basins of central New York. On the Chemung river, water levels exceeded flood stage late in the afternoon of the 8th both at Chemung and Elmira and eventually crested on the 9th several feet above flood stage at both locations. Most points within the Susquehanna river basin experienced minor lowland flooding from late at night on the 8th until late in the day on the 11th. However, water levels were high enough to prompt some evacuations of mobile home parks along the river between Vestal and Waverly. In the Delaware basin, the most notable flooding occurred at Cooks Falls along the Beaver Kill Creek. During the day on the 9th, river levels crested about 4 feet above flood stage at this location with several nearby roads under water. By the evening of the 11th, all river points in central New York were back within their banks.