By WBFO News
Buffalo, NY – The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a Flood Watch for Erie and Chautauqua Counties Monday afternoon and evening.
The watch is for a possibility of ice jam flooding on Buffalo area creeks, and near Sunset Bay at the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek. The period of cold weather during the past few weeks has allowed a good amount of ice to form in the Buffalo area creeks.
Much warmer weather is expected Monday with temperatures reaching well into the 50s this afternoon, perhaps even nearing 60 degrees. This warmth may be enough to cause rapid snow melting and movement of ice fields.
Monday night, there is a potential for up to a quarter inch of rain. Possible problem areas would be Cazenovia Creek from West Seneca to South Buffalo, Cayuga and Buffalo Creeks in Lancaster and Cheektowaga, and Sunset Bay at the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek.
In addition, there is a Winter Storm Watch for the entire region from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning.
A significant winter storm is expected to develop here late Tuesday into Wednesday morning. A mixture of freezing rain and sleet will develop Tuesday afternoon. The mix of icy precipitation will spread over much of the area during late Tuesday afternoon before diminishing by noon Wednesday.
There cold be ice accumulations of more than a half an inch over the area, with a significant sleet accumulation as well.