FloodZoneMap.org

Flash Flood — Orleans, NY

Jul 27, 2020

A hot and very moist air mass was in place across the region with dewpoints in the 70s and precipitable water values approaching 2 inches. Diurnal instability along a lake breeze boundary allowed for convection to develop. The most notable thing about these boundaries was the intersection of the boundary off of Lake Erie with a weaker one south of Lake Ontario. Thunderstorms developed and trained along this intersection for hours. The net result was some of the heaviest rains our area has ever s

Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 912591). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.

Flood Risk Context for Orleans, NY

This event is one of many recorded floods in Orleans County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.

View Orleans County flood data →

More Flood Stories

Flood$500K damage

Orleans, NY · Jun 1, 2019

Excessive runoff into the Ottawa River Basin in Canada restricted the outlet of Lake Ontario. This combined with above normal precipitation into the Lake Ontario Basin, record levels on the Great Lakes above Lake Ontario, and higher than normal flows into the lake from the…

Read the full account →
Flood$500K damage

Orleans, NY · May 17, 2019

Excessive runoff into the Ottawa River Basin in Canada restricted the outlet of Lake Ontario. This combined with above normal precipitation into the Lake Ontario Basin, record levels on the Great Lakes above Lake Ontario, and higher than normal flows into the lake from the…

Read the full account →
Lakeshore Flood$1.0M damage

Orleans, NY · May 20, 2019

Excessive runoff into the Ottawa River Basin in Canada restricted the outlet of Lake Ontario. This combined with above normal precipitation into the Lake Ontario Basin, record levels on the Great Lakes above Lake Ontario, and higher than normal flows into the lake from the…

Read the full account →
Flood$100K damage

Orleans, NY · Jul 1, 2019

Excessive runoff into the Ottawa River Basin in Canada restricted the outlet of Lake Ontario. This combined with above normal precipitation into the Lake Ontario Basin, record levels on the Great Lakes above Lake Ontario, and higher than normal flows into the lake from the…

Read the full account →