Areas of western New York had a not-so-great start of the week as heavy rain and high winds caused the waters of Lake Erie to rise four feet, sending harbor workers scrambling to secure the docked boats. On top of all this, snapped trees topple on to cars and homes, several power outages were reported, and hail shot through the sky.
The high water levels of Lake Erie are of great concern to area residents and business owners as the lake’s water would only needs to rise a total of 8 feet for it to cause substantial flood damage.
Flood warnings are in effect for urban areas and those around streams in the areas of western New York’s Cattarugus and Chautaugua County. This warning means a flood is eminent and some areas may have already reported high water levels. Flash floods are not expected. Wind advisories have also been issued as strong winds are expected to last through the night with gusts of up to 50 mph in some areas.
Learn more about recovering from a flood.
Tags: Lake Erie, New York flood warning, preparing for a flood