weather

More than 600 National Grid customers in Genesee County are with out power this afternoon, including 590 in Batavia, as high winds play havoc with trees and power lines.

A tree came down on Clinton Street, which is what knocked out power around East Main and Clinton, including the intersection lights.

About 90 customers in Pembroke are also without power and there are a couple of small outages elsewhere in the county.

Power should be restored in Batavia by 4:45 p.m. and in Pembroke by 3:45 p.m.

There is a hazardous weather outlook in place because of strong winds into tonight. Winds are hitting 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

Temperatures late tonight through 8 a.m. could dip below 30 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

The freeze could damage crops and other sensitive vegetation.

The freeze watch covers most of WNY except Wyoming County, interior Southern Tier and along the Lake Ontario coast.

Also, a thunderstorm is moving across the region and could hit Genesee County later this afternoon.

Strong winds are expected to continue throughout the day.

A severe thunderstorm is hitting Hamburg and moving northeast at 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm is capable of producing quarter-sized hail and dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning with winds in excess of 60 mph.

The thunderstorm warning is in effect until 5:15 p.m.

Particularly within the storm's path, according to the weather service are Darien and Batavia.

From the weather service:

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER... PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

Photo: Looking from Albion Road toward Bliss Road, Oakfield.

Today, parts of the county had a mixture of snow and hail, a bit of wind and cold -- under 40 degrees.

Tomorrow will be sunny with a high of 48.

A high wind watch has been issued for Friday afternoon through Friday evening with gusts up to 60 mph expected.

The forecast is for thunderstorms, with temperatures hitting 70 by 10 a.m. and then dropping to 45 degrees throughout the day.

Sustained winds are expected to blow southwest at 25 to 35 mph during the watch period.

The National Weather Service warns of scattered power outages and some downed trees with minor property damage possible.

The Genesee County Emergency Dispatcher Center announced that the following roads in Alexander are closed or partially closed due to flooding:

• Dorman
• Creek
• Peaviner
• Old Creek Road

A freezing rain advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. today and a flood watch is in effect through 5 p.m., Friday.

The Tonawanda Creek is already flowing near the top of its banks.

Photo: Branch on a tree on Jackson Street.

Photo of flood waters on Peaviner Road, Alexander, by Leslie Crittenden.

Shortly after the National Weather Service sent out an alert on a heavy thunderstorm moving into Genesee County, the first thunderclaps could be heard and then a report came in of a transformer at Clinton and East Main streets, Batavia, blowing out.

Lines are arcing and the traffic light at the intersection has stopped working.

City fire is in route.

The weather service said the storm will produce thunder and dime-size hail.

Moderate to heavy rains tonight through Friday morning could cause localized flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

Low-lying areas and areas of poor drainage could experience minor flooding.

The storm's frontal boundary may stall over the Western New York region.

Flooding is more likely Friday morning.

UPDATE 1:05 p.m.: The weather service has also issued a hazardous weather outlook for the area with a freezing rain advisory. It will be in effect beginning in the early morning hours of Thursday from 2 through 11 a.m. Up to a third of an inch of accumulation is expected and this is likely to make roads and walkways icy and slick. It could also weigh down tree branches and power lines. Use caution when traveling.

We don't often get fog in Genesee County, but this morning Batavia looked a bit like London with a dense fog that cut visibility to about a half mile.

The National Weather Service said the fog is the result of recent rains and warned commuters to drive with caution. According to WBTA traffic reports, traffic is slow going into Rochester.

The fog should lift by midmorning.

More rain is expected tonight and there's a chance of snow Friday night.

If you happen to be outside just after midnight on this early Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service advises: Get indoors now.

A thunderstorm is passing through the area that is capable of producing dangerous cloud to ground lightning.

The storm is moving east at 65 mph and may produce dime-sized hail.

Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected to hit Genesee County tonight around 10 p.m. and last until 4 a.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Gusts up to 50 mph are possible.

Winds this strong can bring down tree branches and cause isolated power outages.

Periods of heavy snowfall hit Batavia this afternoon, and though the flakes were big and wet, not much stuck anywhere.

More cold, snow and rain is in the forecast through Friday night, but we should see some sun on Saturday. Sunday's forecast -- for Easter -- is cold with a 50-percent chance of rain.

The cold and wet start to spring is expected to continue for another week or so.

A bit of cold and snow didn't stop City firefighters from doing a little ladder truck training today outside the fire hall on Evans Street.

We can expect another inch or two of snow today, the third day of spring, but don't expect this period of cold and snow to end anytime soon. Forecasters with the National Weather Service expect snow and cold to last until April, with a short break for a little sunshine over the weekend.

The good news might be: Warmer than average temperatures in April, if that forecast holds.

Welcome to spring, now please enjoy the snow.

That's the message, apparently from Mother Nature in WNY.

Most of WNY is under a lake effect snow watch today, but not Genesee County. 

We can, however, expect some snow today, tonight and tomorrow. Winds will be less than 20 mph.

There's no specific hazardous weather statement for Genesee County, just a forecast of cold and snow.

The National Weather Service is warning of possible hazardous weather in Western New York over the next few days.

Snow is expected, followed quickly by rain with slick spots on untreated roads.

Winds are expected to gust at 40 to 45 mph through Tuesday.

There is rain, sleet and snow in the forecast through the week.

Batavia is getting a little dusting of heavy, wet snow tonight. It starting coming down just after midnight.

It's been snowing in Genesee County pretty much continually since last night, but as you can see from the banks of the Tonawanda along West Main Street, Batavia, that there hasn't been much accumulation.

What accumulation there has been is pretty much just slush.

The Weather Service says expect more of the same through tomorrow.

It's a big slushy, sloppy, slick, spongy mess on Genesee Couny roads tonight.

The National Weather Service put out a special whether statement at 10:30 p.m. advising us that we can expect this slush all night, making for potentially hazardous travel conditions.

Anybody returning from the Notre Dame/Elba basketball game in Dansville on Route 63 tonight hit a roadblock at Route 36 because of an accident. I took 36 north to York Road and was behind a long line of cars. York Road was covered by something much more like snow than the slush we encountered starting in Pavilion.

Temperatures in Batavia are not predicted to drop below 36 degrees, but the precipitation is expected to be relentless.

The City of Batavia has three salt trucks out working city streets.

As for basketball, Notre Dame upset Elba 45-40, ending the Lady Lancers' 44-game winning streak and dashing hopes of a state title repeat. We'll have photos and a story posted as soon as possible (probably not until mid to late morning).

Nick Sabato was at the Batavia game for us and will have a story later. The Blue Devils crushed Livonia 76-38.