Heavy Rainfall and Severe Thunderstorm Threats for the Plains and Southeast

A frontal boundary extending from the western High Plains to the Southeast will focus additional showers and thunderstorms this weekend. Some of these storms may become severe, alongside frequent lightning, and isolated instances of flash flooding. Meanwhile dry conditions will continue for the Great Basin where fire weather concerns linger. For the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, seasonable weather. Read More >

Western New York Weather History

SEPTEMBER 15

1990

A vigorous cold front crossed western New York accompanied by thunderstorms containing heavy rain and strong winds. A peak gust of 55 mph was recorded at the Buffalo Airport at 6:53pm. Numerous trees and wires were downed in the town of Clarence. Damage reports included: one auto was crushed by a falling tree; some siding was stripped from a house; a basketball pole and backboard was doubled over; a garage door was bent inward; and a fence was blown down.

1996

Bands of heavy rain circulating around low pressure became enhanced by the relatively warm waters of Lake Erie. The activity focused in the northwest portion of Erie county with the cities of Kenmore, Tonawanda, and northwest Buffalo bearing the brunt of the heaviest downpours. Rainfall totals of 6" were reported from the Town of Tonawanda in a 36 hour period from 9PM on the 13th to 9AM on the 15th. Rain fell at over an inch per hour at times. Storm sewers and drains could not handle the runoff forcing the closure of over 30 streets and resulting in serious basement flooding in thousands of homes. Thousands of homes lost both their natural gas and their power.

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