Syracuse, N.Y. -- A flash flood watch has been issued for much of Central New York today, which could be just the start of flooding threats in another wet, stormy week.
One to 3 inches of rain could fall today in Central New York on soil already saturated by storms this month, causing flash flooding of low-lying roads and creeks already swollen with runoff.
“It could be bad,” said Dave Nicosia, head meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Binghamton, which forecasts for Central New York. “We’re hoping it won’t be, but we can’t rule it out.”
A slow-moving storm is expected to linger over the Syracuse and Utica areas today and Monday, dropping heavy rain from 8 p.m. and throughout the night.
“We’re looking at a good, solid nine to 12 hours of heavy rain,” Nicosia said.
Even if the region escapes flooding today, atmospheric moisture flowing in all week from the southwest could be wrung out as heavy rain by passing thunderstorms.
“This is just the beginning of a very active weather pattern that almost every day has some part of our forecast area getting hit by storms,” Nicosia said. “It will be wave after wave coming in, and we have deep moisture over us.”
Some areas of Central New York have already received more than a month’s worth of rain in the first 10 days of July. The town of Greene, in Chenango County, has had nearly 7 inches. The northern Oneida County town of Boonville has seen 6 inches. Over 3 inches has fallen in many spots in Herkimer, Oneida and Tompkins counties.
Normal precipitation for the entire month of July is just shy of 4 inches.
A flood watch means that flooding is possible given the conditions. The watch is in effect through Monday morning for Chenango, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, Otsego and southern Oneida counties. A separate watch is in effect for the Capital Region.
Flooding is still possible outside of those counties, the weather service cautioned.
If flooding develops or is imminent, the weather service will issue a flood warning, the highest alert. Nicosia urged anyone living in flood zone or low-lying area to be prepared.
A flash flood watch is in effect through Monday morning for the counties shaded in green. Up to 3 inches of rain could fall on already saturated soil.
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