Raincoats and umbrellas were necessary gear for visitors along Main Street, Lake Placid, on Friday. The heavy rain from the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Debby didn’t deter them from shopping and visiting the sites. Folks are seen here in front of the municipal parking lot near the post office. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a statewide state of emergency on Friday as the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Debby caused severe flooding in communities throughout New York, in anticipation of the deluge.
With flooding expected along the AuSable River over Friday night into today, Essex County Chairman Shaun Gillilland declared a state of emergency for the county.
“A state of emergency allows municipalities to make emergency repairs and acquire resources without delay,” according to a statement from the county.
“Conditions can change rapidly and flooded roads won’t be visible in the dark,” reads a public safety message sent to phones at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
On Friday, the Tri-Lakes took on a lot of water — around an inch-and-a-half by 4 p.m. — but had not seen disaster conditions like other parts of the state such as Steuben and Allegany counties. Still, “significant” excessive rainfall was expected in the evening.
Raincoats and umbrellas were necessary gear for visitors along Main Street, Lake Placid, on Friday. The heavy rain from the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Debby didn’t deter them from shopping and visiting the sites. Folks are seen here in front of St. Eustace Episcopal Church at the corner of Hayes Street. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch in Franklin and Essex counties through 8 a.m. today, wind advisories in Franklin and Essex counties through early this morning and a tornado watch in Essex County for Friday evening.
“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks,” according to NWS. “Due to saturated soils, trees could be more susceptible to be blown down and may result in isolated to scattered power outages.”
Driving through flooded roads is dangerous.
“State agencies have activated swift water rescue teams for impacted regions that require assistance, and it is important for New Yorkers to remain vigilant and stay off the roads,” Hochul said of flooded areas in a statement.
Winds were predicted to be 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
Visitors look at real estate listings at Merrill Thomas on Main Street, Lake Placid, during a heavy downpour. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
The NWS gave the Tri-Lakes a 5 to 10% “slight” chance of a tornado within 25 miles with the surrounding areas having a “marginal” 5% chance of a tornado within 25 miles.
State Department of Environmental Conservation staff were on alert for this storm, patrolling areas and infrastructure likely to be impacted by severe weather and with swift water rescue teams positioned to assist with any emergency response.
“With the potential for heavy rains, hikers are advised to temporarily avoid all high-elevation trails and trails that cross rivers and streams,” a news release from Hochul’s office reads.
The NWS puts weather alerts out online at alerts.weather.gov. New York also has an emergency alert system at alert.ny.gov.
Raincoats and umbrellas were necessary gear for visitors along Main Street, Lake Placid, on Friday. The heavy rain from the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Debby didn’t deter them from shopping and visiting the sites. Folks are seen here in front of Mid’s Park. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)
