Areas of Severe Thunderstorms and Excessive Rainfall through This Weekend

A multi-day thunderstorm and heavy rain event will impact the south-central U.S. this Memorial Day weekend. Severe thunderstorms may produce large hail, severe gusts, and a possible tornado or two across portions of the central and southern Plains through Monday. The threat for heavy to excessive rainfall and possible flash flooding will return to the south-central U.S., especially in the Ozarks. Read More >

Western New York Weather History

JULY 18

1967

A broad area of thunderstorms moved across western New York. Torrential rains struck the Silver Lake area of Wyoming county and inflicted heavy damage to the B&0 Railroad's right of way.

1972

A thunderstorm downed power lines and caused tree damage and some road flooding near Leon in Cattaraugus county.

1982

A severe thunderstorm ripped through the town of Persia in Cattaraugus county. A barn and mobile home were destroyed and a tractor trailer was overturned. Tree limbs and power lines were downed in other parts of Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

1986

Heavy rain..thunderstorms..July 18th-20th...lightning and heavy rain began on the 18th. The lightning knocked out power to WIVB-TV Channel 4 as well as the Weather Service Radar. Rainfall reports of up to 5 inches in a four hour period were received throughout the weekend over the southern tier which bore the brunt of the heavy rain. Property damages in Chautauqua county...where the town of Panama was hit hardest...were estimated at over $3 million. Thirty five county bridges were damaged and three had to be replaced entirely.

1992

17^th-18^th…Thunderstorms crossed Wayne county on two days dumping heavy rains over already saturated grounds and swollen streams. Rainfall amounts exceeded six inches in two hours on the 17th. Three homes were severely damaged in Marion and Sodus as basements filled with water. In some places, mudslides occurred and the shoulders of roads had been washed away. Also, thousands of dollars worth of potato and onion crops were ruined.

On the 18th, thunderstorms produced hail and damaging winds in Busti, Chautauqua county. Also, slow moving thunderstorms dropped very heavy rains across parts of Niagara County. The rains which fell on already saturated grounds caused significant flooding of low lying areas, small streams, and poor drainage areas.

1994

Strong thunderstorms produced damaging winds which downed trees and power lines in Humphrey, Cattaraugus county, and Oswego, Oswego county. The storms also produced hail up to an inch-and-three-quarters in Andover, Allegany county, and Avon, Livingston county. The heavy rains associated with the thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding in Fulton in Oswego County.

1997

Thunderstorms developed ahead of a strong cold front and brought high winds and large hail to the western southern tier, Niagara frontier and Genesee Valley. The high winds downed trees and power lines and caused minor structural damage. A 74 mph gust was recorded in Orchard Park. Hail, as large as golfballs, damaged crops in Niagara and Orleans counties. Crops affected included apples, peaches, pears and cherries. Several fires were reported as a result of lightning strikes. The heavy rains that accompanied the storms resulted in minor urban flooding.