Mar 19, 2003
An abrupt change to warmer weather at mid-month resulted in a quick meltdown of the winter snowpack. Area creeks rose to near or above bankful with three creeks in western New York exceeding flood stage. At Churchville, Monroe county, the Black Creek crested at 6.7 feet or about a half a foot above flood stage. The Oatka Creek at Garbutt, Monroe county, crested at 6.2 feet, just above its 6 foot flood stage. The Tonawanda Creek overflowed its banks with flooding along the Erie/Niagara county bor
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 5347070). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in Erie County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.