Storms force cancellation of Memorial Day parade this evening in Scotia

PHOTOGRAPHER: Justin Mason

Severe thunderstorms sweeping through the region prompted organizers to cancel this evening’s Memorial Day parade in Scotia for the first time in more than a decade.

Mayor Kris Kastberg said rainfall overwhelmed the village’s sewer system this afternoon and many streets became impassible, some covered with more than a foot of water. Though the water was starting to recede by late afternoon, parade organizers were concerned about additional storms that are forecast for the area.

“Our storm sewer just couldn’t take the water,” the mayor said.

Even if the parade hadn’t been canceled, many of the people slated to march in it were busy tending to weather-related emergencies, Kastberg said. Now in its 85th year, the parade doesn’t have a rain date and the mayor was uncertain whether it will be rescheduled.

“It’s never been cancelled since I’ve been involved in politics,” said Kastberg, who was first elected to office 11 years ago.

The storm system that pushed north over the city and village toward Glenville and Burnt Hills in southern Saratoga County dropped roughly an inch of rain in less than a half hour, according to the National Weather Service in Albany. Meteorologist Ian Lee said the city of Schenectady also saw a fair degree of flash flooding, which cause road closures and water rescues on flooded thoroughfares.

“These storms as they’re moving through are dumping tremendous amount of rainfall,” he said.

Thunderstorms are expected to continue throughout the evening, some of them severe. The weather service has issued thunderstorm warnings through the area, including Schenectady County, northern Rensselaer County, southern Saratoga County and southern Washington County.

“The atmosphere is very moist right now so any thunderstorms developing right now are very efficient rain producers,” Lee said.