New York, 2019

Flash Flood and Flood in New York, November 1, 2019

November 1, 2019 · NWS BTV · 11 events in 10 counties and zones

A developing area of low pressure moved from the Gulf of Mexico on during the night of the 30th and moved north into the eastern Great Lakes as it intensified during the evening of October 31st. As the surface low moved across Ontario during the night of October 31st, its associated cold front slowly edged across New York.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$2.3 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BTV wrote it up.

A developing area of low pressure moved from the Gulf of Mexico on during the night of the 30th and moved north into the eastern Great Lakes as it intensified during the evening of October 31st. As the surface low moved across Ontario during the night of October 31st, its associated cold front slowly edged across New York.

The upper level pattern was very strong and dynamic with a direct moisture feed from the Gulf of Mexico, thus delivering copious amounts of moisture into the northeast and NY.

Steady rain developed during the late afternoon of October 31st and became heavy at times until just after midnight of November 1st. Rainfall amounts 1.5 to 2 inches were common but a swath of 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches moved across Essex county.

Numerous flooded streams, flooded and several washed out roads were reported in Essex county, beginning just before Midnight and continuing through the early morning hours of November 1st.

In addition strong, damaging winds gusted in excess of 60 mph in portions of St. Lawrence, Franklin and Clinton counties with gusts in excess of 50 mph elsewhere. These strong winds combined with over-saturated soils led to numerous downed trees and more than 10,000 power outages. Estimated public infrastructure damage in excess of $5 million.

The radar

The Burlington radar (KCXX), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 high wind, 4 strong wind, 1 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Essex

When
November 1, 12:00 AM EST to 4:00 AM EST
Where
Essex County, 1.93 mi W of Baldwin to 1.98 mi ESE of Wadhams
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$2.0 million
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
43.816, -73.468

A widespread 2 to 4 inches of rain fell across Essex county during the afternoon of October 31st into the early morning hours of November 1st. These rains fell across previously saturated soils. Between 830 pm and 130 am, three convective rounds of heavy rain showers with observed rainfall of 1/2 to 1 inch per hour, traversed the same areas. Flooding developed quickly as the second round of heavy rain moved across between 1030 pm and Midnight. It was exacerbated with the final round just after midnight creating widespread flash flooding during the early morning hours of November 1st. In addition during the early morning hours of November 1st, the Au Sable River and it's watershed had considerable flooding. More than 5 dozen roads were flooded and closed to traffic with several dozen partially or completely washed out along the eastern foothills of the Adirondacks east toward Lake Champlain from Schroon Lake north to Elizabethtown. Several major roads including Routes 30,8,9N and 73 were impacted. several homes and businesses flooded and damaged as a result of this event.

Flood, Essex

When
November 1, 12:00 AM EST to 8:00 AM EST
Where
Essex County, 5.49 mi W of Wilmington to 3.86 mi NNW of Olmstedville
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
44.386, -73.931

A widespread 2 to 4 inches of rain fell across Essex county during the afternoon of October 31st into the early morning hours of November 1st. These rains fell across previously saturated soils. Between 830 pm and 130 am, three convective rounds of heavy rain showers with observed rainfall of 1/2 to 1 inch per hour, traversed the same areas. Flooding developed quickly as the second round of heavy rain moved across between 1030 pm and Midnight. It was exacerbated with the final round just after midnight creating widespread flash flooding during the early morning hours of November 1st. In addition during the early morning hours of November 1st, the Au Sable River and it's watershed had considerable flooding. More than 5 dozen roads were flooded and closed to traffic with several dozen partially or completely washed out along the eastern foothills of the Adirondacks east toward Lake Champlain from Schroon Lake north to Elizabethtown. Several major roads including Routes 30,8,9N and 73 were impacted. several homes and businesses flooded and damaged as a result of this event.

High Wind, Northern St. Lawrence

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Northern St. Lawrence forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
44.501, -75.116 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong to damaging southwest wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred across the St. Lawrence Valley of St. Lawrence, Franklin and northern Clinton counties in NY. This led to numerous downed branches and trees resulting in more than 10,000 outages and some structural damage.

High Wind, Southwestern St. Lawrence

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Southwestern St. Lawrence forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
44.501, -75.116 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong to damaging southwest wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred across the St. Lawrence Valley of St. Lawrence, Franklin and northern Clinton counties in NY. This led to numerous downed branches and trees resulting in more than 10,000 outages and some structural damage.

High Wind, Northern Franklin

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Franklin forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
44.593, -74.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong to damaging southwest wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred across the St. Lawrence Valley of St. Lawrence, Franklin and northern Clinton counties in NY. This led to numerous downed branches and trees resulting in more than 10,000 outages and some structural damage. A measured wind gust of 62 mph occurred in Malone.

High Wind, Western Clinton

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Western Clinton forecast zone
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
44.746, -73.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong to damaging southwest wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred across the St. Lawrence Valley of St. Lawrence, Franklin and northern Clinton counties in NY. This led to numerous downed branches and trees resulting in more than 10,000 outages and some structural damage. A measured wind gust of 69 mph occurred in Dannemora.

High Wind, Eastern Clinton

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Clinton forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
44.746, -73.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong to damaging southwest wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred across the St. Lawrence Valley of St. Lawrence, Franklin and northern Clinton counties in NY. This led to numerous downed branches and trees resulting in more than 10,000 outages and some structural damage. A measured wind gust of 63 mph occurred in Plattsburgh.

Strong Wind, Southeastern St. Lawrence

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Southeastern St. Lawrence forecast zone
Measured
43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.501, -75.116 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous wind gusts in the 40-50 mph range across the region with isolated to scattered power outages.

Strong Wind, Southern Franklin

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Franklin forecast zone
Measured
43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.593, -74.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous wind gusts in the 40-50 mph range across the region with isolated to scattered power outages.

Strong Wind, Eastern Essex

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Essex forecast zone
Measured
43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.117, -73.773 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous wind gusts in the 40-50 mph range across the region with isolated to scattered power outages.

Strong Wind, Western Essex

When
November 1, 7:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Western Essex forecast zone
Measured
43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.117, -73.773 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous wind gusts in the 40-50 mph range across the region with isolated to scattered power outages.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New York in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, November 2019

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 858988, 860937, 858991, 858992, 858993, 858994, 858995, 858996, 858997, 858998, 858999.