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Cazenovia Creek in West Seneca, New York is expected to reach flood stage early Monday evening. Areas that saw up to 7 feet of lake-effect snow in recent days are now preparing for flooding.
A man walks with a gas can along Como Park Boulevard in Lancaster, N.Y., as he looks at a minivan go by with snow on its roof.(Photo: Gary Wiepert, AP)
First the snow, now the floods and high winds: Unusual warmth Monday in the Buffalo area will bring significant melting of the water-laden snowpack, which will lead to areas of flooding, the National Weather Service warns. Then, later today, strong winds will add to the weather misery.
The weather service has issued a flood warning into Monday afternoon for the Great Lakes region.
"They are going to have flooding problems, there is no doubt about that," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Jack Boston said.
As much as 88 inches of snow — that's more than 7 feet — fell last week in parts of the Buffalo area.
"Since many storm drains are snow clogged, many urban areas will likely experience flooding with several feet of water possibly accumulating on some stretches of road," according to the weather service. "Some residential basements will start to flood at this time, as well."
The warm-up and flood threat will be brief, however, as another arctic blast is forecast to howl into western New York by late Monday and into Tuesday, bringing yet another weather worry: wind.
"Very strong winds will develop Monday and Monday night," predicted the weather service. "These winds will bring down some trees and power lines, possibly causing scattered power outages. This will also cause sump pumps to fail."
Boats are on standby as Western New York state prepares for massive floods. Rising temperatures are expected to quickly melt seven feet of snowfall. (Nov. 24) AP
A high wind warning has been issued for the region, with wind gusts of up to 60 mph possible.
The snowstorm, blamed for at least a dozen deaths, began Nov. 17 and lasted deep into the week. More than 30 roof collapses have been reported in the Buffalo area alone.
"We are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said. He said the city was making significant progress clearing streets, but that a ban on driving will continue in hard-hit South Buffalo. Hundreds of dump trucks, loaders and other snow removal equipment continued to work around the clock, he said.
In Hamburg, N.Y., Pete Yeskoot bought a portable generator to make sure his sump pump will keep working once the roughly 80 inches of snow that fell on his property melts. Possessions are up on blocks in the basement and he has food for several days.
"Behind us is an 18-mile creek so everything in the village will come through us at some point, so we have to get ready for the possibility of flooding," he said. "And given all this snow, we have to expect that this is real."
Contributing: WGRZ-TV in Buffalo; Associated Press
Tom Wilson, 28, of West Seneca, N.Y. , waist high in snow, took advantage of a respite in the snowfall to try to shovel his way down a Buffalo, N.Y., sidewalk, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Carolyn Thompson, AP)
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