Storm-damaged Canandaigua under new flood watch with more storms coming Thursday
Canandaigua is still recovering from torrential rain and evacuations earlier in the week. Ontario County is under a new flood watch.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo issued the flood watch for Thursday in portions of western and central New York, including Ontario and Wayne counties. The flood watch begins 8 a.m. Thursday and runs to 11 p.m., according to the Weather Service.
Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low spots, according to the the Weather Service.
In regards to flooding, main concern is that given the recent heavy rains there in the past week, portions of the Finger Lakes and Eastern Lake Ontario regions are more susceptible to flooding than other areas. It won't take as much heavy rain to produce flooding there. (2/3) pic.twitter.com/YlGJxQloKP
— NWS Buffalo (@NWSBUFFALO) July 13, 2023
The latest weather report is no doubt being met with trepidation.
The City of Canandaigua will be distributing sandbags to residents starting at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Canandaigua School District Administrative Building, 143 N. Pearl St. Sandbags also will be distributed in neighborhoods near Sucker Brook, county officials said.
The cleanup in Canandaigua continues after nearly 6 inches of rain in a three-hour period Sunday left thousands of people − many of them living near Sucker Brook, which travels through the town and city before emptying into Canandaigua Lake − without power and flooded homes. In some cases, first responders evacuated residents from their homes; some reported water levels of up to 4 feet in basements.
The power of that much water in a short amount of time – some referred to the deluge as far exceeding what was once considered a rare 100-year storm -- was evident as a home collapsed in the city on Monday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Ontario County on Sunday and the state deployed emergency personnel, water rescue teams and conducted door-to-door welfare checks in hard-hit neighborhoods.
Canandaigua isn't expected to see the deluge it endured Sunday and Monday but the additional rainfall could overwhelm waterways.
City officials have also temporarily closed the swimming beach at Kershaw Park, following water sampling conducted after the heavy rain. Excess debris in the lake has yielded elevated levels of sediment debris. The rest of the park remains open.
'It was like a hurricane': Canandaigua residents caught off guard as torrential rain triggers severe flooding
Showers and thunderstorms are possible Thursday afternoon and evening and some storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Temperatures are predicted to peak in the mid-80s, but wind gusts could reach 32 mph.
Includes reporting by staff writer Victoria Freile
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Storm-damaged Canandaigua NY under new flood watch Thursday
