Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in New York, July 4, 1999

Two more clusters of thunderstorms developed over the Great Lakes during the predawn hours on July 4. These storms took a very similar track to the previous storms that affected portions of the Mohawk Valley and northern Catskill region the evening of July 3. The cluster worked down the Mohawk Valley with torrential rain. There was also wind damage as trees and power lines were blown down in the village of St. Johnsville in Montgomery county. The third and final set of thunderstorms later that morning, also produced copious rainfall and some wind damage. This last batch brought destructive wind to the vicinity of Summit, Schoharie county. Trees were brought down there. Since all three storms moved over Southern Herkimer county, rainfall in the region ranged from 5 to 7 inches in less than a 12 hour period. This rainfall triggered severe flash flooding in and around Ilion sending Spencer and Tory creeks out of their banks. Many roads and bridges were closed. People were reported trapped in floating cars and had to be rescued. A small home in Little Falls was badly damage by a mudslide. A large gabion wall along Multana creek by Arnold's Restaurant collapsed. A state of emergency was declared in both Ilion and German Flatts. The rains even brought the Mohawk River slightly over its flood stage of 15 feet midday at Little Falls in Montgomery County. Heavy rains from a thunderstorm cell measuring up to 4 inches washed out six town roads and a county road in the vicinity of Halcott, Greene county.