Flash Flood in Sullivan County, New York

Tropical moisture continued to stream northward into the Catskills ahead of a frontal system which slowly moved westward into the eastern Great Lakes by Tuesday morning the 27th. This tropical moisture developed a batch of heavy showers and thunderstorms from eastern Pennsylvania into the Catskills late Monday evening the 26th through Tuesday morning the 27th. By 8 am Tuesday, another 3 to 5 inches of rain fell across northern Sullivan County which caused major flash flooding. Additional rain fell Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning as the front moved back east and combined with a low pressure system moving up the eastern seaboard. The additional rainfall brought rainfall totals to between 6 and12 inches in the far northern part of Sullivan County. The extreme rainfall caused catastrophic flash flooding to become more widespread and affect Livingston Manor, Roscoe, Jeffersonville and other locations in the northern part of the county. The flash flooding was described as the worst in at least 40 years and in some areas it was the worst ever. Small streams and creeks caused massive flooding, inundating Livingston Manor entirely, flooding numerous roads. Over 1500 homes were flooded of which 30 were destroyed and over 700 heavily damaged. Numerous bridges were flooded as well as many businesses. Total losses are estimated at around 100 million dollars. One person was killed by the flooding when she was washed out of her home by the flood waters.