Flash Flood — Ulster, New York

2000-12-17 · near Shandaken, Ulster, New York

Wider weather episode

A complex storm system began to evolve on Saturday December 16 across the Mississippi Valley. A surface low tracked north into the Eastern Great Lakes by December 17. At the same time, the associated upper level trough became negatively tilted as it moved toward the northeast on Sunday. This allowed for rapid cyclogenesis. Unseasonably warm and moist air was transported northward from the Gulf of Mexico. This scenario brought a record breaking rainstorm to eastern New York. On average, rainfall ranged between 2 and 4 inches with some locally higher amounts. At Albany International Airport, the 2.79 inch rainfall for December 17 easily shattered the previous daily precipitation record of 1.34 inches set back in 1970. This was also the third wettest day ever in recorded December history. A few other specific localities included 3.96 inches at Shushan in Washington county, 3.97 inches at Stormville in Dutchess County, and 4.58 inches at Boiceville in Ulster county. The air mass was unstable enough to produce widespread thunderstorms across the region. While none of the thunderstorms was severe, they increased the rainfall amount and intensity. In some cases, well over an inch of rain fell in just one hour. The combination of the excessive rainfall, snowmelt, and frozen ground, lead to a massive runoff and resultant flooding. Washington county was the hardest hit. In Salem, heavy rains swelled White Creek to an unprecedented level. This scenario resulted in widespread evacuations and a state of emergency. Residents of 80 homes had to be evacuated. Route 149 was washed out near Granville. Also, in the town of Granville, the Mettawee River crested at 13.5 feet. Not only was this nearly double the flood stage of 7 feet, but it was the highest stage on record! Water from the Mettawee inundated Granville covering roads and producing property damage. Route 147 was washed out near Argyle. Many other roads, including highways were under water and closed. Significant flood damage was also noted to buildings, including the Salem Central School. At the height of the storm, more than 50 roads were closed throughout the county. Ulster county was also hit hard. Six towns declared a local state of emergency, including Woodstock, Gardiner, Rosendale, Hardenburgh, Denning and Kingston, due to widespread flooding in these towns. In Shankanden a 15 year old boy drowned as he and four other boy scouts attempted to cross the swollen West Branch of the Neversink River while descending Slide Mountain. The remaining four boy scouts were rescued and treated for hypothermia, then released from a nearby hospital. Both Saratoga and Rensselaer Emergency Management Authorities reported widespread flooding in their respective counties, including many roads washed out. The mayor of Mechanicville, in Saratoga county, declared a state of emergency after the Anthony Kill overflowed, and the Hudson River began to approach the city wharf. In Albany county, Route 5 was flooded near Interstate 90 in the town of Colonie. Also in Colonie, Albany Shaker Road was flooded. Route 20 was flooded near Stuyvesant Plaza and Fuller Road, in the town of Guilderland. This flooding impacted many holiday shoppers at nearby malls. There were numerous basements flooded throughout the county. In Warren County, roads were flooded in the town of Glens Falls. In Greene county, flooding was noted on roads in New Baltimore. The Catskill creek overflowed its banks onto Route 32, in the town of Greenville. In Columbia county, flooding was noted throughout the region. While most of it was minor, a state of emergency was declared in the towns of Germantown and Canaan. Street flooding was reported in the city of Amsterdam, Montgomery county as well as Johnstown, Fulton county. Street flooding was noted in Wappingers Falls, Pine Plains and LaGrange in Dutchess county The Schoharie Creek swelled a foot and half over its 12-foot flood stage at Prattsville. The Mohawk River crested slightly over its 403 flood foot stage at Utica. The Hudson River rose to 92.50 at Schuylerville and 54.7 feet at Mechanicville, 2.5 and 1.7 feet above flood stage respectively. With the exception of minor flooding on the Stillwater Flats, there were no flooding problems reported to the National Weather Service on either the Mohawk or Hudson Rivers. However, there were up to a thousand spotty power outages, the result of the heavy rain coupled with some wind and lots of lightning.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5169115. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.