1/23/2024
WT Staff
HAPPENING NOW
NWS: 2 inches of snow this afternoon
Dramatic Lake Erie rescue
Water news for Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - last updated 440 pm EST
Great Lakes ice rescue - all 20 safely recovered
WTOH.us reached out to the Coast Guard for more information on how twenty people became stranded on an ice floe in Lake Erie yesterday off Catawba Island. A statement received this afternoon from the US Coast Guard 9th Division Great Lakes press office explains, "There are many ice fishing enthusiasts around the Great Lakes. Some areas are more popular than others. The cause of this specific ice floe is not known, however common factors that contribute to such formations are warming temperatures, shifting winds, and wake from a passing vessel.
Given the National Weather Service current warning statement about rain and melting snowpack, the risk of insufficient ice is real.
USCG 9th Division Lt. Ahmad says, "The Coast Guard strongly advises those considering going onto the ice to first verify ice conditions, particularly ice thickness. "While we don’t dictate public behavior, we urge the utmost caution. Ice fishing and other ice activities should be conducted on ice that is confirmed to be a safe thickness, usually 4 inches for groups transversing together. Conditions can change rapidly and the Coast Guard recommends having a plan for self-rescue or rapid evacuation if necessary."
(Re-post from USCG 9th Division Great Lakes Press Office)CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard rescued nine people from an ice floe on Lake Erie, near Catawba Island, Monday.
At 10:21 a.m., Coast Guard and local authorities responded to an initial report of more than 20 people on an ice floe a half mile off shore near Catawba Island, Ohio.
Coast Guard crews from Station Marblehead and Air Station Detroit responded in conjunction with the Put-in-Bay Fire Department and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.
The Coast Guard rescued nine people and four people were rescued by the Put-in-Bay Fire Department. Seven people were able to self-rescue via their own airboat. A total of 20 people were rescued from the ice floe.
“We are committed to public safety and want to remind everyone the importance of exercising caution around ice formations,” said Lt. Adeeb Ahmad, Sector Detroit Public Affairs Officer. “Ice floes are unpredictable and can quickly become hazardous, particularly in windy conditions or strong currents. Always check local ice conditions before venturing out and be prepared for any emergencies. Your safety is our top priority.”
National Weather Service Hazardous Weather Outlook
issued 405 am Jan 23 2024
Impacting Northern Oneida-Seneca-Southern Cayuga-Onondaga-Madison-Southern Oneida-Including the cities of Boonville, Seneca Falls, Auburn,
Syracuse, Hamilton, Oneida, Rome, and Utica
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM EST WEDNESDAY...mixed precipitation expected with total snow accumulations of up to two inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze.
Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous
conditions could impact the evening commute tonight and the morning commute Wednesday. Light snow will develop this afternoon and change to a period of freezing rain tonight. Temperatures should rise above freezing Wednesday morning. Slow down and use caution while traveling.
The latest road conditions for New York can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.
Streamflow Situation from USGS WaterWatch
Streamflows slowed down overnight statewide with rated monitoring stations generally stepping down a notch in the northwest, central and south drainage areas. Northeast state flow monitors indicate above normal to much above normal flows heading for St Lawrence River via Lake Champlain. Lake Ontario minor tributaries are showing ice impact in the west, central and east sections Tuesday. Streamflows through the Oswego River and Finger Lakes watershed show ice impact not only along the Lake Ontario shore, interior tributaries south of the Finger Lakes also ice impacted include Fall Creek at Ithaca. In the south-flowing systems, Susquehanna River is ice impacted at Vestal, Delaware River tributary Neversink River is ice impacted near Claryville.
With temperatures above freezing and rain in the forecast, watch for river ice to disappear as quickly as it came on this year. Take extreme care around moving water with ice, the ice is new and cannot be considered reliable for venturing upon.
No active flooding recorded on NYS flow monitors Tuesday morning, no extreme high flows. Chadokoin River is registering 1 percentile flow at Falconer as of the latest update, the gauge indicates a negative flow depth.
Drought Map USGS 7-day average streamflow against seasonal average
No part of the state is rated below normal or any degree of drought.
USGS Provisional Data Statement
Data are provisional and subject to revision until they have been thoroughly reviewed and received final approval. Current condition data relayed by satellite or other telemetry are automatically screened to not display improbable values until they can be verified.
Provisional data may be inaccurate due to instrument malfunctions or physical changes at the measurement site. Subsequent review based on field inspections and measurements may result in significant revisions to the data.
Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it for decisions that concern personal or public safety or the conduct of business that involves substantial monetary or operational consequences. Information concerning the accuracy and appropriate uses of these data or concerning other hydrologic data may be obtained from the USGS.
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