Big Storms Hit Monroe County: What Happened on Saturday

On Saturday, a lot of wild weather happened in Monroe County, New York. Imagine a day where the sky got very angry! There were severe thunderstorms, power outages (that means the electricity went out), events getting canceled, flash flooding (when water rises super fast), and even tornado warnings (a heads-up that a spinning wind funnel might happen) in the Canandaigua and Rochester areas.

Thunderstorm Warning

A thunderstorm warning is like a "hey, dangerous lightning and rain is here" alert.

• It was in effect for these places:
  • Geneva
  • Canandaigua
  • East Rochester
  • Fairport
  • Newark
  • Palmyra
  • Avon
  • Victor
  • Honeoye Falls
  • Bristol
• It was expected to end at 4:30 p.m.

Flash Flood Warning in the Rochester Area

A flash flood warning means water can rise very quickly and become dangerous.

• The National Weather Service (the official weather watchers) said it was in effect for:
  • Rochester, Greece, Irondequoit, Chili, Lockport, Brockport, East Rochester, Medina, Albion, Hilton, Webster, Brighton, Gates-North Gates, Henrietta, Penfield, Spencerport, Byron, Churchville, Middleport, and Holley
• This warning lasted until 7 p.m.

Tornado Warning in the Rochester Area

A tornado warning means a tornado (a big spinning column of wind) might be happening right now.

• The weather service issued this warning at 2:44 p.m.
• It was in effect until 3:15 p.m.
• It applied to:
  • Rochester, Chili, Le Roy, Byron, Caledonia, Scottsville, Churchville, Riga, Bergen, and Elba
• The severe thunderstorm was capable of producing a tornado in the Town of Byron, about seven miles northeast of Batavia.
• It was moving east at about 35 mph (like a car on a slow highway).

Important: If you are in a tornado warning, go to a safe inside room away from windows right away!

Tornado Warning in the Canandaigua Area

There was also a tornado warning in the Canandaigua area on Saturday afternoon.

• This warning ended at 1:45 p.m.
• The areas included:
  • Geneva, Canandaigua, Clifton Springs, Phelps, Bloomfield, Farmington, Gorham, East Bloomfield, Manchester, and Shortsville
• A severe thunderstorm capable of creating a tornado was located near Canandaigua and moving east at 35 mph.

Cancellations

Because of the storms, fun plans had to stop.

• The Rochester Pride Festival was canceled because of the storms. It got hit hard by the bad weather.
• The Hilton Kiddie Parade was canceled.
• The village’s carnival was postponed (moved to later).

Air Quality Index

There was an air quality forecast image shared (this tells us how clean or dirty the air is to breathe). You can check local air quality to stay safe if it looks bad outside.

RG&E Customer Outages

RG&E is the company that gives electricity to many homes.

• As of 3 p.m., over 400 RG&E homes were without power in Monroe County because of the storms.
• Earlier, at 12:45 p.m., most outages were in:
  1. East Rochester – over 600 customers
  2. Pittsford – over 1,100 customers
  3. Perinton – over 2,700 customers
  4. Penfield – over 1,600 customers

Tip: "Customers" means homes or buildings that get power from RG&E.

Flooding

There was flooding too! A photo from News10NBC showed water under a bridge on 390 South near Henrietta Road.

• You can see RG&E’s list of outages by clicking their outage map link.
• You can see News10NBC’s First Alert Weather for more updates.

Summary

On Saturday, Monroe County had a rough weather day. There were thunderstorms, flash floods, and tornado warnings in Rochester and Canandaigua. Many events like the Rochester Pride Festival and Hilton Kiddie Parade were canceled. Over 400 homes lost power by 3 p.m., with thousands more earlier in the day. Flooding was seen on the roads. Always listen to weather warnings to stay safe!

FAQ

What is a tornado warning?
It is an alert that a tornado may be happening right now in your area, and you should take shelter immediately.

Why were events canceled?
Because the storms were severe and dangerous, organizers canceled things like festivals and parades to keep people safe.

What does "outage" mean?
An outage means the power (electricity) is off in a home or building.

How fast was the storm moving?
The severe thunderstorms capable of tornadoes were moving east at about 35 mph.

Where can I check if my power is out?
You can look at RG&E’s outage list online, or watch News10NBC’s First Alert Weather for updates.