Flood — Monroe, New York

2004-09-09 to 2004-09-11 · Monroe, New York

Wider weather episode

Western and central New York were inundated by drenching rains as the remnants of hurricane Frances drifted north across the region on Thursday September 9th. Areawide rainfall totaled 3 to 5 inches with the bulk of it falling in a 6 to 9 hour period from very late Wednesday to midday Thursday. Several creeks in the Buffalo and Rochester areas recorded their greatest flows and highest gage levels ever in a non-winter/spring season. Cazenovia Creek at Ebenezer was above the 10 foot flood stage from 6AM to 8PM Thursday the 9th, cresting at 14.85 feet. Buffalo Creek at Gardenville was above the 7 foot flood stage from 9AM to 8PM Thursday the 9th, cresting at 8.71 feet. Cayuga Creek at Lancaster was above the 8 foot flood stage from 8AM to 7PM Thursday the 9th, cresting at 9.59 feet. Allegheny River at Salamanca was above the 12 foot flood stage from 4PM Thursday the 9th to 1AM Friday the 10th, cresting at 12.33 feet. Oatka Creek at Garbutt was above the 6 foot flood stage from 6PM Thursday the 9th to 2AM Friday the 10th, cresting at 6.18 feet. Black Creek at Churchville was above the 6 foot flood stage from 1AM Friday the 10th to 11PM Saturday the 11th, cresting at 7.85 feet. Ellicott Creek at Williamsville was above the 8 foot flood stage from 5AM to 11PM Friday the 10th, cresting at 9.87 feet. Tonawanda Creek at Batavia was above the 9 foot flood stage from 5AM to 9PM Friday the 10th, cresting at 10.12 feet. The heaviest rain was in a swath from Chautauqua county northeast across Erie and Niagara counties to Monroe and western Wayne counties. This area had between 3.5 and 4.5 inches with a few spots near Chautauqua Lake measuring 5 inches. Amounts tapered off to the south and east, but a good 2 to 3 inches still fell over Allegany county, the Finger Lakes and areas east of Lake Ontario. In Cowlesville, Wyoming county, a three-year-old boy drowned when he was swept away by flood waters while playing near a stream. His body was recovered further downstream along the banks of Cayuga Creek in Alden.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5424328. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.