wind

The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for most of Western NY tonight and tomorrow from 1 AM to 4 PM. According to their forecasts, we can expect 25-35 MPH winds and gusts exceeding 50 MPH. These winds have the possibility of causing damage; however, the NWS has not made any special statement to this effect beyond their standard explanation. This applies to Genesee, Chautauqua, Erie, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming Counties. For the full NWS release click on "Read More" below.

UPDATE, 10:40AM: Winds are expected to change to coming mainly from the West in the next few hours. Sustained winds are expected to drop by about 5 MPH but gusts are not expected to change. Also addded a new NWS Special Weather Statement in full below. The SWS contains current information regarding recorded wind gusts in the Buffalo area, as well as Lake Erie levels. 14.4 foot waves have been recorded at a buoy near Port Colborne, ON, Canada (about 15 Mi. west of the border along the north shore of Lake Erie).

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
1001 PM EDT TUE OCT 6 2009

...STRONG WINDS LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY ACROSS WESTERN NEW
YORK...

.A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN WILL TRACK ACROSS THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES OVERNIGHT...THEN PASS JUST NORTH OF LAKE ONTARIO WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE REACHING NEW ENGLAND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A STRONG COLD FRONT TRAILING THIS LOW PRESSURE WILL CROSS WESTERN NEW YORK LATE TONIGHT. THE TRACK OF THIS STRONG LOW JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE AREA IS FAVORABLE FOR STRONG WINDS ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK.

WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST AND QUICKLY INCREASE OVERNIGHT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED NEAR LAKE ERIE EXTENDING NORTHEAST FROM THE LAKE ACROSS THE NIAGARA FRONTIER TO NEAR ROCHESTER. THE STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF WEDNESDAY BEFORE DIMINISHING WEDNESDAY EVENING.

NYZ001>003-010>012-019-085-071030-
/O.CON.KBUF.WI.Y.0009.091007T0500Z-091007T2000Z/
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-CHAUTAUQUA-SOUTHERN ERIE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...ROCHESTER...BUFFALO...BATAVIA...WARSAW...
JAMESTOWN...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
1001 PM EDT TUE OCT 6 2009

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 4 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...

A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 4 PM EDT WEDNESDAY.

WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST AND RAPIDLY INCREASE OVERNIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT THROUGH MUCH OF WEDNESDAY. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE WEDNESDAY EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BE 31 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 46 AND 57 MPH. WINDS OF THESE MAGNITUDES MAY CAUSE MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE WITHOUT EXTRA PRECAUTIONS. MOTORISTS IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE CAUTION UNTIL THE WINDS SUBSIDE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.

Source

Special Weather Statement
Issued by The National Weather Service
Buffalo, NY
9:40 am EDT, Wed., Oct. 7, 2009

... STRONG WINDS CONTINUE TO BUFFET THE AREA...

* STRONG WESTERLY WINDS IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE ARE THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY. WINDS ACROSS THE REGION HAVE GUSTED OVER 50 MPH AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. AT THE BUFFALO AIRPORT, WINDS GUSTED TO 51 MPH. ALONG THE LAKE ERIE SHORELINE AND OUT IN THE LAKE ITSELF, CONDITIONS ARE WORSE. SOME OF THE WIND REPORTS INCLUDE:

BUFFALO COAST GUARD STATION 60 MPH DUNKIRK LIGHT HOUSE 62 MPH PORT COLBORNE DATA BUOY 63 MPH 14.4 FT WAVES BUFFALO AIRPORT 51 MPH NIAGARA FALLS AIRPORT 45 MPH OLCOTT PIER 45 MPH

THE LAKE ERIE WATER LEVEL RECEDED FROM A HIGH POINT OF 7.3 FT AT 8:24AM TO 6.7 FT. AT 9:30AM.

A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REGION THROUGH 4PM AND A LAKESHORE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR LAKE ERIE UNTIL NOON.

Source - Weather.com, no longer listed as of 10:40 AM

The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for most of Western NY today from 10AM to Midnight. According to their forecasts we can expect 20-30 MPH winds and gusts exceeding 45 MPH, along with showers and thunderstorms. These winds have the possibility of causing damage, especially due to it being early Fall, with most leaves still on trees. This applies to Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne and Wyoming Counties . For the full NWS release click on "Read More" below.

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
355 AM EDT MON SEP 28 2009

...STRONG WINDS EXPECTED ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK TODAY AND TONIGHT...

.DEEP LOW PRESSURE IN THE VICINITY OF GEORGIAN BAY THIS MORNING WILL SWING A STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEW YORK DURING THE COURSE OF MONDAY. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND GUSTY THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE PASSAGE OF THIS FRONT...WITH SOME STORMS POSSIBLY CONTAINING DAMAGING WINDS.

A GREATER THREAT WILL COME IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT DURING THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...WHEN WINDS WILL LIKELY GUST TO 45 MPH OR MORE. THIS WILL ESPECIALLY BE THE CASE OVER THE NIAGARA FRONTIER AND ALONG THE LAKE ERIE SHORE AREA WHERE GUSTS TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. GIVEN THAT THE REGION IS STILL FULLY FOLIATED...STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL HAVE AN INCREASED POTENTIAL TO CAUSE DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES.

NYZ001-002-010>012-019-020-085-281600-
/O.CON.KBUF.WI.Y.0008.090928T1400Z-090929T0400Z/
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-CHAUTAUQUA-CATTARAUGUS-SOUTHERN ERIE-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NIAGARA FALLS...MEDINA...BUFFALO...BATAVIA...
WARSAW...JAMESTOWN...OLEAN...ORCHARD PARK...SPRINGVILLE
355 AM EDT MON SEP 28 2009

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...

A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT.

EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION LTER THIS MORNING AFTER THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT. WIND SPEEDS WILL LIKELY AVERAGE 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 45 MPH. SINCE MOST TREES ARE STILL FULLY FOLIATED...THERE IS AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR DOWNED TREE LIMBS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY IS NORMALLY ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS ARE FORECAST TO BE 31 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 46 AND 57 MPH. WINDS OF THESE MAGNITUDES MAY CAUSE MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE. MOTORISTS IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE CAUTION UNTIL THE WINDS SUBSIDE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.

Source
 

Also on NY-Alert and The Weather Channel

We may be in the clear for any further threats of severe wind damage for Genesee County, but Batavia is still under watch for a flooding of Tonawanda Creek. This is a clip of the roiling creek that looked set to swell up and over its banks earlier this afternoon out back of the county court house.

From the National Weather Service:

The flood warning continues for the Tonawanda Creek at Batavia until Friday afternoon. At 12:00 p.m. Thursday, the stage was 9.5 feet and rising. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. Flood stage is 9.0 feet. Forecast: The river will continue to rise and crest near 9.8 feet this evening. Impact: At 10.0 feet, moderate flood, minor to moderate flooding along the entire reach from Batavia to Tonawanda, most focused in Alabama swamps, rapids and northern Clarence and Amherst, and also in the city of Batavia, west of Main Street.

On the wind advisory:

Southwest winds of 20 to 35 mph this afternoon could gust over 45 mph. The greatest chance for the higher gusts will be found over elevated terrain. These winds will become more westerly during the course of this afternoon before diminishing late in the day.

While the threat of widespread wind damage has diminished, shallow rooted trees, namely pines, will still be vulnerable in this event as their shallow root system has become less stable with the thawing of the previously frozen ground. Scattered power outages will still be possible from downed tree limbs and power lines.

Roads around Genesee County are getting ever worse throughout the day today. Snow and rain have added to the already bloated mix of melted ice and snow from yesterday. Some roads are barely navigable at this time. Add to that the winds that are bringing down power lines across the region, and you've got a messy situation out there.

In the past half hour, we've heard of two reports of downed wires over the scanner.

Poles and wires have come down on Molasses Hill Road near Chaddock Road in Alexander. Another pole along with wires are blocking a roadway in Attica. We haven't yet got the report on that exact location, but crews are out trying to get things cleaned up as quickly as possible.

Conditions are even worse in Wyoming County, where the winds are whipping even more fiercely. Dan Fischer reports that the office of emergency management there has put out a general travel advisory for motorists. It reads: "Caution should be used when traveling in Wyoming Co. due to damage from high winds including downed utility poles and power lines. Be prepared to seek alternate routes as some roads have been closed due to blockage."

You can find out more on area closings by visiting the WBTA Web site.

We're in for an ugly cocktail of dangerous weather today. Right now, Batavia is under three separate warnings, issued by the National Weather Service. Ice floes and warm temperatures look to flood the Tonwanda Creek. Winds of sustained gusts at 40 mph are whipping up to 70 mph at times. And, just for good measure, we've got a snow storm.

On the flood:

The flood warning continues for the Tonawanda Creek at Batavia from this morning to tonight. At 5:00 a.m. Thursday the stage was 72 feet and rising. Minor flooding is forecast. Flood stage is 9.0 feet... The river is expected to rise above flood stage late this morning and crest near 9.2 feet this afternoon.... At the 9.0 flood stage: Flood protection at Chestnut Street Bridge begins to be toppd. There is also flooding in Kibbe Park area of Batavia.

On the wind:

Deep low pressure will pass by to our north today. Southwest winds of 30 to 40 mph will gust as high as 70 mph during the day today. The powerful winds will become more westerly this afternoon then will gradually diminish tonight.

Shallow rooted trees, namely pines, will be especially vulnerable in this event as their shallow root system has become less stable with the thawing of the previously frozen ground. The added weight from several inches of wind blown wet snow will likely increase the potential for some downed tree limbs and power lines.

On the snow:

A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 6:00 p.m. this afternoon.

Cold, moist air filtering in behind a departing low will bring 2 to 4 inches of snow to the area today. Another 1 to 3 inches is expected tonight. Strong winds will add to the problems and generate very poor visibility at times and make it difficult to keep roadways clear.

Things do not look pretty out at the Thruway right now. Please be safe.

Just when you thought we were getting a break in our weather... Plan for a shaky commute Thursday morning. A high wind watch has been issued for the region from late tonight through Thursday.

From the National Weather Service:

A strong cold front will cross western New York after midnight tonight and be followed by strong westerly winds which will continue through much of Thursday. Sustained winds may reach 30 to 40 mph with some gusts topping 50 mph during Thursday morning and midday. The winds will gradually diminish during the afternoon. There is also the possibility of brief strong wind gusts just ahead of the cold front tonight.

A high wind watch means that the potential exists for strong damaging winds to develop. These strong winds could bring down trees and power lines as well as cause property damage. If a high wind warning is issued... stay inside... and away from windows. Be prepared for trees blocking roadways and power outages.

We don't yet know if things will turn severe enough for a high wind warning, but gusts topping 50 mph could do some damage. So please, be safe out there.

It started actually Saturday as temperatures were rising in the upper 30's climbing to low 50's overnight.  We had received about 2+ feet of snow just in the last week and now it was melting very rapidly.  Today's high was in the upper 50's and the tonawanda creek was above flood stage of 9 feet and peaked around 11.4 feet according to the weather channel this morning.  It's now at a little over 12 feet and hopefully cresting soon.  Also during this time we had very high winds which were approx 35-45mph most of the day.  This morning there were gusts passing through around 50+ mph for about an hour.  As the day went on the city crews were on scene along with tree and power companies to help battle the flooding and tree damage due to high winds.  On every street I saw tree limbs, debris and even uprooting in some areas that had left much damage through the city.

Here are some pictures to share of areas around the city:

A tree fell hitting a house on east avenue and pulled utility wires.

Tree was uprooted on Lincoln Ave. damaging houses and a red SUV due to the 50+ mph winds.

Many side streets had flooding on the south side.  Ganson Ave, Elmwood and pictured here is Jackson Avenue.

Kibbie park or should I say Kibbie lake?  The winds were very high in the afternoon during this time.

The tonawanda creek filled up rapidly due to the fast melting of snow.  Here is a picture showing the River Street bridge with a vehicle coming across.

Look familiar?  Corner of Walnut and Law streets had major flooding.  A trucker was able to pass through heading south on Rt 98.

Let's hope the worst is over and we can recover a bit before heading into the New Year.