Soaker puts some area roads under water

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Lamendola

The region received its latest drenching rain Thursday, which caused spot flooding that put some roads under water in portions of Fulton and Montgomery counties.

The National Weather Service in Albany issued both a flood advisory for these counties and then a tornado warning Thursday afternoon for Fonda, Tribes Hill and Fort Hunter. No tornado was sighted.

“We had a line of showers and one cell that looked like a super cell with a lot of rotation. It never produced a tornado, but it sure looked like one,” said Hugh Johnson, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany.

He said a tropical air mass came into the area and pushed the dew point toward 70 and temperatures into the 70s, both of which are above normal for this time of year.

“The main feature was the rain: 1 to 4 inches. A lot of that fell today, within the last 24 to 36 hours,” Johnson said. “The worst is over for now. We may see more soaking rain this weekend.”

The heavy rain did not further damage hard-hit Rotterdam Junction, said Volunteer Fire Department Chief Shawn Taylor. “The river is down,” he said. Still, he made a check of the area to ensure nothing was in danger.

Two tropical storms earlier in the month washed out homes in the hamlet, as well as major parts of Montgomery and Schoharie counties. The areas are still recovering.

Rain swamped roads connecting Fultonville, Sprakers and Fonda, according to Montgomery County and Fulton County emergency management officials.

The list of closures Thursday included:

• Route 30A between Route 5S in the village of Fultonville to Route 162 in Sloansville and between Fonda and Johnstown.

• Route 5S between Route 30A in Fultonville and Route 162 in Sprakers.

• Main Street in Fonda from Bridge Street to Route 334.

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Department reported County Highway 110 at Lakeview Road near Springer’s Farm in Broadalbin flooded and expected to be closed for some time. Water streamed under the roadway at the location and motorists were advised to avoid the area.

Roads in Johnstown also flooded.

Dwight Schwabrow, Montgomery County emergency management director, said the Cayadutta Creek near State Highway 334 and a small stream in Fonda overflowed their banks. “The water is not rising. It is just running over roads,” he said. “We also have reports of numerous flooded basements.”

The county did not anticipate flooding on the scale of that from recent tropical storms and is not planning any evacuations.

When the tornado alert went out, Fulton-Montgomery Community College activated its on-campus Emergency Notification System, said college President Dustin Swanger. “All staff and students were requested to take shelter in the basement level of the Classroom Building, College Union, or Physical Education Building depending on their location,” he said.

Swanger said everyone on campus took shelter for an estimated half hour. “There was no damage reported and everyone returned to their classroom or working environment safely.”

The Montgomery County Emergency Management department is posting updates on its Facebook page.