Flood Warning Issued for Black River at Watertown Affecting Lewis and Jefferson Counties
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the Black River at Watertown, with minor flooding expected to impact Lewis and Jefferson counties starting late tonight.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Flood Warning
- Affected area
- Northern New York
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Buffalo
Flood notices turn on location and timing. Treat the named area as this record's scope; do not assume nearby counties, parishes, or waterways were included.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Northern New York.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Buffalo NY has issued a Flood Warning for the Black River at Watertown. This alert was issued on March 11 at 2:15 PM EDT and remains in effect from late tonight until further notice. The alert is classified as a severe event with likely certainty.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically impacts the following geographic regions in New York:
- Jefferson County
- Lewis County
- Black River at Watertown
What You Should Do
Residents in the warning area should take the following safety actions:
- Turn around, don't drown: Never attempt to drive through flooded roads. Most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.
- Exercise caution: Use extreme care when walking near riverbanks.
- Stay informed: Monitor local updates. The next official statement from the NWS is expected by 3:00 AM EDT.
Expected Conditions
Minor flooding is forecast for the Black River. Key hydrological details include:
- Flood Stage: 10.0 feet.
- Current Status: As of 12:30 PM EDT Wednesday, the river stage was 8.29 feet (Bankfull stage is 8.0 feet).
- Forecast Crest: The river is expected to rise above flood stage late tonight, reaching a crest of 11.4 feet early tomorrow afternoon. A second crest of at least 11.5 feet is anticipated on Saturday, with additional rises possible later this weekend.
- Impacts: At the 10.0-foot flood stage, farmland flooding begins in the area known as the Flats, and some roads will be flooded. Minor damages are expected for riverfront commercial properties in Dexter.
Timeline
- Onset: The river is expected to rise above flood stage starting at approximately 3:23 AM EDT on March 12.
- Duration: The warning remains in effect until further notice. Significant crests are expected Thursday afternoon and again on Saturday.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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