A destructive severe thunderstorm tore through Seneca Falls and Waterloo on Wednesday night, toppling trees and utility lines, flooding roads and basements, and knocking out power to thousands across northern Seneca County.
The National Weather Service recorded a preliminary 76 mph wind gust at 8:40 p.m. at the Waterloo NYS Mesonet station, about 2 miles south-southwest of Seneca Falls. No tornado had been confirmed as of late Wednesday, and early indications were that straight-line winds caused most of the widespread damage.
The Town of Seneca Falls Police Department said portions of the community were hit especially hard. Numerous trees, poles and wires were down, while flooding was reported in several areas.
Police officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel were moving through the town Wednesday night to assess damage and assist residents. Dispatchers were prioritizing a high volume of calls as crews worked to reach affected areas safely.
Storm carried a tornado warning
The Weather Service first issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 8:05 p.m. for Seneca, Yates and Cayuga counties and northern Steuben County. That warning said the advancing line of storms could produce wind gusts up to 70 mph and quarter-size hail.
A tornado warning followed at 8:18 p.m. for northwestern Seneca and northwestern Cayuga counties. Forecasters said radar showed rotation in a storm near Phelps and Geneva that was moving east at about 30 mph, placing Seneca Falls and Waterloo in its projected path within minutes.
In a later update, the Weather Service described the system as a severe squall line capable of producing tornadoes and extensive straight-line wind damage. The warning was radar-based, and officials had not confirmed that a tornado touched down.
The difference will require a damage assessment. Until that review is completed, the 76 mph measured gust and the broad pattern of fallen trees and wires point to destructive thunderstorm winds as the primary cause of damage.
Trees, outages and flooded basements reported
Reports received by FingerLakes1 described extensive tree damage across the Seneca Falls and Waterloo area, with blocked or partially blocked roads in multiple locations. Utility damage left thousands of customers without electricity Wednesday night.
NYSEG and RG&E said in a 9:30 p.m. update that more than 38,000 customers across their service areas had power interrupted by the storms. More than 9,700 of those customers were in NYSEG's Geneva Division, which includes Ontario, Wayne, Seneca and Yates counties.
The utilities said about 21,000 RG&E customers were affected, primarily in the company's Central Division covering Monroe and Orleans counties. NYSEG's Lancaster and Hornell divisions were also affected, and crews planned to continue restoration work until every customer had power restored.
Residents also reported water entering numerous basements after heavy rain accompanied the storm. A Flood Watch remained in effect for Seneca County and surrounding areas through 8 a.m. Thursday because additional rainfall could produce flash flooding.
The full extent of damage was not immediately clear. Cleanup and assessment work was expected to continue overnight and into Thursday, and additional road closures could be necessary where trees or wires remained in the roadway.
Residents urged to stay off roads
Authorities asked people to avoid unnecessary travel in Seneca Falls and Waterloo Wednesday night so highway crews, utility workers and first responders could clear debris and handle emergency calls without additional traffic.
Anyone who must travel was urged to use extreme caution, stay away from downed power lines and never attempt to drive through a flooded roadway. Police said every downed line should be treated as live, and people should keep their distance.
NYSEG and RG&E also warned customers to stay away from storm debris because it could conceal downed wires or damaged electrical equipment. All downed wires should be treated as energized and dangerous.
A Tornado Watch remained in effect for Seneca County until 11 p.m. Wednesday. Residents were advised to continue monitoring official alerts and allow emergency and utility crews room to work as the communities began recovering from the storm.
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