Massive Flood Watch Issued For All Of Western New York

There's a saying that many people use around this time of year to account for the amount of precipitation we tend to get in the spring: April showers bring May flowers. However, it's still March, and it seems that a massive winter weather pattern is heading our way. If it were colder outside, we'd be on the verge of receiving a ton of snow, but the spring warm-up we've been having means we're getting ready to get some rain in Buffalo and Western New York.

A lot of rain.

According to the National Weather Service, big thunderstorms and heavy rain are heading to the area over the next few days. The amount of rain that's forecasted to fall is expected to overwhelm regional waterways and some roads, which has the potential to make things messy for New Yorkers.

Because of this, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the National Weather Service have issued a flood watch for all of Western New York, along with large parts of Central New York and the Southern Tier.

The flood watch, which is expected to impact Oneida, Herkimer, Hamilton, Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Northern Cayuga, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, Ontario, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Oswego, Jefferson, and Lewis Counties, is going into effect at 8 am on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, and will be in place until at least 8 pm on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

Both the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the National Weather Service have great tips for you when it comes to dealing with flood water that you should check out.

While this is just a flood watch, the potential for danger is real, so please make sure you never try to drive through a flooded street, you never know what's in the water plus rising floodwater can sweep a car away fast.