weather

A scene along South Main Road, at about 6:45 p.m., shortly after our cloudburst.  Recent rains have the Tonawanda Creek running high, from bank-to-bank.

While radar shows the storm seems to have passed, a tornado watch remains in effect until 10 p.m.

There is a flash flood watch in effect from 10 p.m. until tomorrow morning.

Weather Service statement:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 236 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS 

IN NEW YORK THIS WATCH INCLUDES 13 COUNTIES 

IN CENTRAL NEW YORK  CAYUGA 

IN WESTERN NEW YORK 

ALLEGANY CATTARAUGUS CHAUTAUQUA ERIE GENESEE LIVINGSTON MONROE NIAGARA ONTARIO ORLEANS WAYNE WYOMING 

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...AUBURN...BATAVIA...BUFFALO... CANANDAIGUA...FAIR HAVEN...GENESEO...JAMESTOWN...MEDINA... NEWARK...NIAGARA FALLS...OLEAN...ROCHESTER... WARSAW AND WELLSVILLE.

Flash floods are possible in Genesee County this evening as moderate to heavy precipitation moves into the area and hits already saturated ground.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for the entire region.

Rainfall tonight may exceed an inch.

The watch is in effect from 10 p.m. through Thursday morning.

Flooding is possible in areas of poor drainage as well as along small streams and creeks. Larger creeks and rivers will also rise significantly.

The National Weather Service says that if you are in a watch area you should monitor weather closely and be ready to move to higher ground if flooding is observed or a warning is issued.

Yesterday, there were no obvious blossoms on the trees behind the Upton Monument at Ellicott and Main streets. This morning, an explosion of pink.

Surely, spring is here, finally?

The seven-day forecast calls for more rain this week, but supposedly, Saturday will be clear, which is good news for those of us who have gardening to do.

There was at least about one thunderclap over Batavia around 4:30 this afternoon, which is about the same time the National Weather Service issued a thunderstorm warning, but by then radar showed the storm moving quickly to the northeast.

We never got the big hail downpour that was supposedly part of the storm.

And then patchy clouds rolled in and the warning was cancelled.

This picture was taken from Mill Street off of Evans Street about about 7 p.m.

Already saturated ground and one-to-two inches of rainfall may produce localized flooding in the region, according to the National Weather Service.

A flood watch is in effect from 5 p.m. through Tuesday morning.

A warm front is moving in from Ohio and Pennsylvania and ahead of it possibly some heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Poorly drained, low-lying areas and areas along larger creeks and rivers are susceptible to flooding.

A large power outage has hit the Byron-Bergen area and another smaller outage has hit Wyoming and covers most of Pavilion.

The Byron-Bergen outage effects about 790 National Grid customers. The affected areas include South Byron, West Bergen and Jericho Corners, but not the villages of Byron or Bergen.

Power went out at 3:57 p.m. and is expected to be restored by 6:30 p.m.

The Wyoming-centered outage, effecting 350 customers, stretches up the west side of Route 63 to Route 20.

Power went out at 4:15 p.m. and is expected to be restored at 6:30 p.m.

There's also a small outage -- less than five customers -- just west of North Bergen.

UPDATE 5:45 p.m.: A transformer fire is reported in the area of 9097 Tripp Road and power in that vicinity is out. Byron and South Byron fire departments are called to respond. National Grid notified, no ETA.

National Grid reported as many six power outages in Genesee County this morning affecting fewer than two dozen customers.

There was a larger outage -- more than 300 customers -- in Wyoming County with an affected area that stretches just into Pavilion and an outage effecting six customers in Attica (Genesee County). Power has been restored in this area.

Outages effecting fewer than five customers each are reported at the intersection of Lewiston Road and Main Street, Batavia, one in the Prole Road area of Stafford and another at Transit Road, Elba. Also, one on Transit Road, East Bethany.

Power was out at GCC for a time, but has been restored. The campus is reportedly closed until 11 a.m.

Peaviner Road is closed due to high water.

At about 4 a.m., Town of Batavia Fire Department responded to a report wires arcing on Alexander Road and about 30 minutes later, Stafford Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a transformer blowing in the area of Fotch Road.

Presumably, just about everybody heard, and felt, the overnight thunderstorm.

A view of Tonawanda Creek at about 3 p.m., Today.

A large tree is reportedly down and blocking the roadway on Dry Bridge Road near Sandpit Road, Alexander.

Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are expected through 6 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind warning because of the anticipated high winds.

Sustained winds could exceed 40 mph for at least an hour.

High winds could bring down trees and cause power outages.

Drivers of high-profile vehicles should use caution.

The high winds are causing roadway blockages in various parts of the county. Officials are working to clear them.

There's a utility pole down, blocking road, with wires still attached, at West Bergen and Dublin roads in Bergen.

A tree is blocking at 781 Lewiston Road in Alabama

A tree is blocking traffic on Marble Road in Alabama.

UPDATE 12:45 p.m.: Trees have been removed from both Lewiston and Marble roads and they are open to traffic.

UPDATE 12:49 p.m.: National Grid is being notified about the pole down in Bergen. It is sheared off at the ground and will need to be replaced.

UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: National Grid is expected to be on scene within the next half hour.

Thundershowers are expected to hit Genesee County this afternoon, with a prediction of rainfall at 100 percent by 5 p.m.

More than an inch of rain is expected.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch in effect from 1 p.m. through Tuesday morning.

A rapid rise in smaller creeks and streams is possible.  

Minor flooding is possible.

We had a little snow -- about an hour, dropping maybe a half inch -- but it was pretty while it lasted. It was one of those snowfalls where big fluffy flakes fall slowly and stick to whatever they hit. I kind of liked this hedgerow on South Swan Street flocked with a bit of snow. The storm has passed.

The Weather Service continues to insist that this storm will last until midnight and about an hour ago, predicted another inch of snow.

From about 4 p.m., the snow has been falling reasonably fast in Downtown Batavia.

There are reports of cars off the road in several parts of the county and a couple of minor accidents in the city.

A highway worker informed dispatchers a little while ago, "We've got icy conditions on every road out here. There is snow, sleet and freezing rain."

Drive carefully.

Yes, it is March 23 and yes, we have snow.

A weather advisory originally expected to expire at 4 p.m. has been extended to midnight, and the initial estimate of total snowfall has crawled up to 4-8 inches.

Buffalo and Batavia appear to be the primary targets of the storm.

Snowfall will be heavy at times and reduce visibility to a quarter-mile.

Morning travel is expected to be difficult.

There have already been a number of minor accidents in Genesee County and snow removal crews are out in force.

And here you thought winter was over and spring had sprung.

Think again and prepare for 3 to 6 inches of snow starting tomorrow morning.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for March 23.

It starts at 2 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.

Winds will blow at 10 to 20 mph.

Here's a news release from the Buffalo office of the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service will be conducting a SKYWARN spotter training seminar in Batavia at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13 at the Genesee County Fire Training Center, 7690 State St. Road.

It's sponsored by the Genesee County Office of Emergency Services and will last about two hours. There is no cost for the training.

SKYWARN is a national effort to save lives during severe weather emergencies with an expanding network of trained volunteer weather spotters. SKYWARN spotters support their local community and government by providing reports of severe weather directly to the National Weather Service in Buffalo through amateur radio or by phone using the the NWS spotter hotline. The services performed by SKYWARN spotters have saved many lives.

The National Weather Service has a number of devices for detecting severe thunderstorms. Included in these are Doppler radar, satellite, and lightning detection networks. However, the most important tool for observing thunderstorms is the trained eye of the storm spotter.

By providing observations, SKYWARN spotters assist National Weather Service staff in their warning decisions and enable the National Weather Service to fulfill its mission of protecting life and property. Storm spotters are, and always will be, an indispensable part of the severe local storm warning program.

The basic training session provides a brief overview of the National Weather Service organization and its responsibilities, severe weather safety, and basic severe weather meteorology including how thunderstorms, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form.

Anyone can become a severe weather spotter for the National Weather Service. SKYWARN training is free and open to the public.

For further information, you can call the National Weather Service at (716) 565-0204, ext. 223, or to register for the program, please call Genesee County Emergency Services at 344-0078.

More information about SKYWARN is available on the NWS Buffalo Web site at http://www.weather.gov/buf/spt.htm.

One or two inches of rain expected late Thursday, combined with residual snowmelt and saturated ground, could lead to minor flooding along creeks and low-lying areas, according to the National Weather Service.

A flood watch has been issued for Thursday afternoon through Saturday morning.

There is a potential for flooding along the Tonawanda, Black and Oatka creeks.