Weather History for April 6

APRIL 6

1966 

Up to seven inches of wet snow was reported on Chautauqua and southern Erie county hills. 

1979 

One of the worst wind storms in recent years occurred across the Niagara Frontier. Wind gusts officially to 62 mph occurred at the buffalo airport with unofficial reports of gusts to 75 and 80 mph in surrounding area. Plate glass windows were blown in, trees were uprooted and thousands of homes and business were without electric power as transmission lines snapped in the gale force winds. Extensive flooding and ice damage occurred at the east end of Lake Erie and along the Niagara River when the lake water rose to more than 7 feet above recent levels. The worst damage was to Hoover Beach in the Town of Hamburg where 150 residents were evacuated from their homes. More than 75 families were isolated in their homes by the rising waters of the Niagara River. Total storm damage was estimated at three to four million dollars. 

1985 

Deep low pressure over central Ontario brought strong winds to western and central New York. It proved to be the 5th windiest day in Buffalo ..winds averaging 32.7 mph for the day. A peak gust of 74 mph was recorded at the Buffalo Airport shortly after 2am. Power outages were reported in Evans, Angola, Buffalo, West Seneca, and an area of northeast Niagara county. Trees were downed in northeast Niagara county, West Seneca, and Orchard Park. Mobile homes were damaged or destroyed in
Akron, Newstead, West Seneca, and Bergen. At the Buffalo Airport, an Empire Airlines jet sustained slight damage when it was blown against a wall and portions of the American Airlines hanger were blown off. In the town of Hamburg, three airplanes at the Hamburg Airdrome were tipped over and damaged. During the afternoon, the
protective bubble over the Buffalo Bills practice field in Orchard Park was blown off and left shredded in a nearby ravine. The walls of the former sears store in Niagara Falls collapsed. A late model car parked nearby was damaged. Numerous reports of minor structure damage to homes and property were reported. 

1999

A cold front crossed the region during the late afternoon hours. An isolated severe thunderstorm developed over Ellery Center, Chautauqua county, and produced three-quarter inch hail as it crossed the western southern tier.

2005

2nd-9th Deep low pressure over Pennsylvania brought copious amounts of precipitation to western and central New York...falling mainly as rain across much of the area. Rainfalls totals generally ranged from two to three inches. The rain, combined with snowmelt, produced flooding. Roads were closed in Gorham, Scottsville, Newark, Williamson, Sodus and Lowville. Basement flooding was reported in Gorham and Rochester. Evacuations were necessary in some locations in Wayne county. The heavy rains produced slick roads that were blamed for numerous automobile accidents in Monroe and Wayne counties. In Murray, Orleans county, a 50-foot section of the south bank of the Erie Canal collapsed. In Ontario county, a Lyons man was treated for hypothermia after being rescued from flood waters. The man drove his ATV into 8-10" of water, however the swift current rolled the four-wheeler over and the rider was swept away. Six area creeks and rivers reached flood stage. Oatka Creek at Garbutt was above its 6' flood stage for 48 hours and crested at 7.03 feet. Black Creek at Churchville was above its 6' flood stage for 51 hours and crested at 7.76 feet.  Tonawanda Creek at Batavia was above its 8' flood stage for 5 hours and crested at 9.10 feet and at Rapids was above its 12' flood stage for 48 hours and crested at 13.78 feet. The Black River at Watertown was above its 10' flood stage for 53 hours and crested at 10.93 feet. The Genesee River at Avon was above its 33' flood stage for 21 hours and crested at 33.46 feet.