Pocket outages, flooding affect region
Despite heavy storms, massive damage avoided
The flood watch and wind advisory that was issued for the
Capital Region has been lifted and the rain storm that blew into the area Thursday night into Friday appears to have spared the region of extensive power outages or widespread flooding that hit other parts of the Northeast.
Still, thousands of utility company customers remained without power. And rivers and creeks in outlying areas were at or near flood stage.
And in the Catskills, the heavy rained caused its share of havoc.
Several residents of Prattsville, Greene County who live near Schoharie Creek, were evacuated as the creek jumped
its banks, said Dan King, emergency manager for the county.
King said there was little damage to homes, but a number of roads in the area were closed. The creek was at major flood stage, rising to 17.5 feet at 4 a.m.
And the state-run Belleayre ski center in Ulster County will be closed on Saturday after loose wet slow from above slid off and crashed into the resort’s Overlook Lodge, breaking through windows and doors and causing what officials described as “significant damage.”
They expect to re-open on Sunday.
Power outages in the Capital Region were thankfully short, especially compared with the multi-day blackout in October.
More than 1,000 people were without power on Friday morning in Albany, Saratoga and Schenectady County. But by 5 p.m., most customers had their power restored. An additional 500 customers lost service in Columbia and northern Dutchess counties on Friday morning because of the strong winds and rain.
New York State Electric & Gas reported customers were without service in the eastern parts of Rensselaer and Washington counties.
The utility was confronting outages for hundreds of additional customers without power in Columbia and Greene counties.
National Grid was prepared on Thursday to send out crews to tackle any widespread outages.
The Mettawee River in eastern Washington County was near flood stage Friday morning and minor flooding was reported on the Schoharie Creek in Breakabeen, Schoharie County, and the Sacandaga River in Hope, Hamilton County.
The storm dropped heavy rain at points overnight. The rain and rising temperatures melted much of the snow left from last week’s nor’easter and the National Weather Service in Albany said Friday ’s mild temperatures would continue to melt the snow.
Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said there were “reports of several roads underwater” in the county — especially in “outlying areas.”
A final batch of rain passed through the region Friday morning with bands of moisture and wind behind it.
“We’re still expecting a breezy day,” said Christina Speciale, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany.
Meteorologists warned minor flooding could occur especially in areas with poor drainage. An expected temperature drop Friday night could cause black ice and make driving difficult.
The storm brought warmth with it. At 7:30 a.m., the temperature was 57 degrees.
But the mercury was expected to drop below freezing Friday night with the cold remaining on Saturday.
It was expected to remain cold through the weekend and forecasters predicted snow could fall in the Adirondacks.