In April, the combination of several rounds of heavy rainfall from convection, rapid snowmelt due to the warm temperatures and above normal soil moisture led to increased runoff and rapid river rises. Starting on April 28th widespread flooding of rivers, streams and creeks occurred resulting in road closures and flooding of properties.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.
In April, the combination of several rounds of heavy rainfall from convection, rapid snowmelt due to the warm temperatures and above normal soil moisture led to increased runoff and rapid river rises. Starting on April 28th widespread flooding of rivers, streams and creeks occurred resulting in road closures and flooding of properties. The flooding continued into the first part of May along the Hudson River, Schroon River and along the shores of Great Sacandaga Lake.
Along the Hudson River, the river gauge at Fort Edward finally fell below flood stage on early in the morning May 6th, Schuylerville late in the evening on May 9th, Mechanicville late in the evening on May 2nd, and Troy early in the morning on May 1st. The river gauge at Riverbank on Schroon River fell below flood stage early in the morning on May 7th. Along the Sacandaga River, the river gauge at Stewarts Bridge in Hadley fell below flood stage late in the morning on May 2nd and the Sacandaga Reservior late in the evening on May 6th.
The New York State Canal System remained closed until late May due to high water levels, excessive flow and floating debris. On May 25th, the Erie Canal from Lock E-2 (Waterford) to Lock E-23 (Brewerton) and the Champlain Canal from C-1 (Waterford) to Lock C-12 (Whitehall) finally opened.
Refer to April 2011 Storm Events Database for more details on the extent of the flooding and damage estimates.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 30, 9:13 PM EST, 2 hours 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1013 PM EDT SAT APR 30 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A LARGE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL CREST OVER THE REGION OVERNIGHT...BEFORE SLIDING EASTWARD OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST LATE SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGION WILL MOVE THROUGH MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT...BRINGING THE NEXT THREAT OF SHOWERS. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 10 PM...THE LATEST SFC ANALYSIS HAS HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE QUEBEC...AND THE NORTHEAST. IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR OVERNIGHT WITH CLEAR SKIES...AND LIGHT TO CALM WINDS. EXPECT LOWS TO RANGE FROM THE 20S OVER THE SRN DACKS...LAKE GEORGE REGION THE AND SRN GREENS...TO 30S OVER MOST OF THE REST OF THE REGION. PREVIOUS NEAR TERM... AS OF 715 PM EDT...HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL WITH CLEAR SKIES...AND NORTHERLY WINDS THAT WILL BECOME LIGHT TO CALM SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET. NOT MUCH TO CHANGE IN THE GRIDS. SOME CIRRUS WILL MAKE A RUN AT THE REGION AFTER SUNRISE TOMORROW. GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING WILL OCCUR OVERNIGHT. THAT/S IT ! AS OF 430 PM EDT...CLEAR SKIES PREVAILED ACROSS THE FA LATE THIS AFTERNOON WITH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY IN THE UPPER 50S TO MID 60S. A CLEAR AND CHILLY NIGHT IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE FA AS HIGH PRESSURE WILL CREST OVER THE REGION AND WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE LATE TONIGHT. EXPECT LOWS TO RANGE FROM THE MID 20S NORTHWEST TO MID 30S SOUTHEAST. ON SUNDAY CLEAR SKIES IN THE MORNING WILL GRADUALLY GIVE WAY TO INCREASING CLOUDS AS THE SURFACE RIDGE MOVES OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST AND HIGH CLOUDS SPILL OVER THE TOP OF THE RIDGE. EXPECT HIGH TEMPS ON SUNDAY TO BE AT LEAST SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN TODAY AS A WARM FRONT TRIES TO LIFT NORTHEAST THROUGH THE FA WITH READINGS GENERALLY IN THE MID 60S TO AROUND 70. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... SUNDAY NIGHT...CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO THICKEN DURING THE EVENING AND LOWER OVERNIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES INTO WESTERN NEW YORK LATE AT NIGHT. EXPECT VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION OVERNIGHT AND ONLY HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOWER CHANCE POPS ACROSS FAR WESTERN PORTION OF FA LATE MONDAY NIGHT. EXPECT LOWS TO RANGE FROM THE MID TO UPPER 30S NORTHEAST TO LOW TO MID 40S SOUTHWEST. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...SHOWERS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS ACROSS THE FA MAINLY FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING. THERE ARE THEN SOME DIFFERENCES IN THE MODELS FOR LATE MONDAY NIGHT AS GFS STALLS FRONT OVER FA WITH A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG IT...WHILE NAM AND ECMWF DELAY IMPACT OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM UNTIL TUESDAY. HAVE PLACED HIGHEST POPS IN THE FORECAST ON MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY EVENING WITH LOWER CHANCE POPS LATE MONDAY NIGHT. EXPECT HIGHS ON MONDAY TO BE IN THE MID 50S TO AROUND 60 IN MOST AREAS AND LOWS MONDAY NIGHT IN THE UPPER 30S NORTHWEST TO MID 40S SOUTHEAST. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... A SLOWLY DEVELOPING/EVOLVING UPPER TROUGH WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD. TIMING OF ONSET OF PRECIPITATION AND TRACK OF UPPER AND SURFACE FEATURES REMAIN IN QUESTION. GENERALLY...CHANCES FOR RAIN TUESDAY WITH A FRONTAL PASSAGE. THEN...UPPER TROUGH AMPLIFIES AND POTENTIALLY AN UPPER CUT OFF LOW DEVELOPS AND TRACKS THROUGH OUR REGION. A COASTAL LOW OF SOME SORT SHOULD FORM...BUT HOW FAR INLAND THE STEADIER AND HEAVIER PRECIPITATION GETS WILL BE BETTER DETERMINED AS THE EVENT GETS CLOSER. SO...WILL KEEP HIGHEST POPS FOR TUE NT THROUGH WED...WITH HIGH CHC POPS. IT DOES LOOK LIKE AN UNSETTLED PERIOD WITH COOL AND WET/SHOWERY WEATHER LATE WED INTO THU...AND THEREFORE WILL KEEP CHC POPS...ALTHOUGH WILL INDICATE SHOWERS RATHER THAN A STEADY RAIN. THERE COULD BE A BREAK IN THE UNSETTLED WEATHER AROUND THURSDAY BEFORE MORE UPPER DYNAMICS IN THE MEAN EASTERN NORTH AMERICAN UPPER TROUGH TRACKS TOWARD OUR REGION LATER THURSDAY AND FRIDAY INTO NEXT WEEKEND. AGAIN...QUITE A BIT OF SPREAD IN GUIDANCE BEYOND DAY 3-4. HIGHS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE 50S AND 60S WITH LOWS IN THE 40S...WITH SOME 30S ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS. SOME SNOW MAY MIX IN HIGHER ELEVATIONS AT NIGHT...ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS. && .AVIATION /02Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE IN CONTROL THE NEXT 24 HOURS. IT WILL SHIFT OFF THE NEW ENGLAND SEABOARD TOMORROW WITH CIRRUS INCREASING FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST DURING THE AFTERNOON. CONFIDENCE REMAINS HIGH FOR VFR CONDITIONS PRIOR TO 00Z/MON. THE WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT TO CALM PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. THEY WILL INCREASE FROM THE S/SE AT 5-10 KTS LATE TOMORROW MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. OUTLOOK... SUN NT...VFR...NO SIG WX. MON...VFR/MVFR...CHC -SHRA. TUE...VFR. BREEZY. SLIGHT CHC OF -SHRAS. TUE NIGHT-THU...MVFR/IFR...CHC RA. && .FIRE WEATHER... A LARGE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL CREST OVER OUR REGION TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY...BEFORE SLIDING EASTWARD OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST LATE SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGION WILL MOVE THROUGH MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT...BRINGING THE NEXT THREAT OF SHOWERS. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 70 TO 100 PERCENT TONIGHT...DROP TO 15 TO 30 PERCENT SUNDAY...INCREASE TO 75 TO 95 PERCENT SUNDAY NIGHT...AND ONLY DROP TO 45 TO 60 PERCENT ON MONDAY. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE TONIGHT...SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH ON SUNDAY...SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 15 MPH SUNDAY NIGHT...AND SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH ON MONDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... MANY RIVERS ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE HSA REMAIN IN MAJOR TO MODERATE FLOOD WITH SOME REACHING RECORD LEVELS. LEVELS HAVE BEGUN TO FALL EXCEPT FOR THE SACANDAGA RIVER AT SACANDAGA LAKE WHICH IS EXPECTED TO CREST AROUND 2 AM SUNDAY. DRY AND SUNNY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. NEXT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS WILL BE VERY LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY...WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS GENERALLY ONE TENTH TO ONE THIRD OF AN INCH. FORECAST MODELS INDICATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND COASTAL STORM TO IMPACT THE REGION FROM MID TO LATE NEXT WEEK. THERE IS STILL CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY WITH REGARDS TO PRECIPITATION LOCATION AND AMOUNTS...HOWEVER IF SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL OCCURS ALREADY HIGH RIVER LEVELS AND/OR EXISTING FLOODING WOULD RESULT IN ADDITIONAL FLOODING AND/OR INCREASED STAGES ESPECIALLY IN THE UPPER MOHAWK AND ADIRONDACK BASINS. WILL INCLUDE POSSIBILITY IN THE HWO AT THIS TIME...ESPECIALLY SINCE ANY SIGNIFICANT RAIN ACROSS THE ADIRONDACKS MAY RESULT IN CONTINUED FLOODING. FOR DETAILS ON SPECIFIC AREA RIVERS AND LAKES...INCLUDING OBSERVED AND FORECAST RIVER STAGES AND LAKE ELEVATIONS...PLEASE VISIT THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ GRAPHS ON OUR WEBSITE. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...11/WASULA NEAR TERM...11/WASULA SHORT TERM...11 LONG TERM...KL AVIATION...WASULA FIRE WEATHER...11 HYDROLOGY...11
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 419 PM EDT SAT APR 30 2011 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-011100- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-NORTHERN HERKIMER-HAMILTON-SOUTHERN HERKIMER- SOUTHERN FULTON-MONTGOMERY-NORTHERN SARATOGA-NORTHERN WARREN- NORTHERN WASHINGTON-SCHOHARIE-WESTERN SCHENECTADY- EASTERN SCHENECTADY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA-WESTERN ALBANY-EASTERN ALBANY- WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-WESTERN GREENE-EASTERN GREENE- WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER- WESTERN DUTCHESS-EASTERN DUTCHESS-NORTHERN FULTON-SOUTHEAST WARREN- SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 419 PM EDT SAT APR 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION IS POSSIBLE DURING THE MID WEEK PERIOD AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY MAY STALL NEAR THE REGION WITH WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG IT. IF THE THREAT OF ADDITIONAL FLOODING BECOMES MORE CERTAIN...A FLOOD WATCH MAY BE ISSUED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flooding which began on April 28th continued along the Schroon River in Warren County.
Route 30 in was closed due to high water in the Hamlet of Long Lake between Route 28 and Rice Road.
Flooding which began on April 28th continued along the shores of Great Sacandaga Lake.
Flooding which began on April 28th continued along the Sacandaga River and Hudson River in Saratoga County.
Flooding which began on April 28th continued along the Hudson River in Saratoga County.
Flooding which began on April 28th continued along the Hudson River in Washington County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, May 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 314373, 314374, 314376, 314377, 314640, 314647.