weather

A group of geese were behind Settler's -- as there often is -- and keeping cool in the Tonawanda this afternoon.

The temperature today is 76 degrees with humidity at 56 percent.

Thunderstorms are expected between 6 and 8 p.m.

Temperatures are expected to climb into the 80s by Wednesday with lots of sun.

A lightning and thunderstorm passed through Batavia in the 10 o'clock hour, and though things have gotten quieter, there are still a few flashes in the sky now and then.

The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement predicting ongoing lightning and thunder activity throughout the night with possibility of strong wind gusts at time and possibly hail.

Some hail was reported in the county tonight.

Power outages in the county so far tonight have been minimal. There was a report of a wire down and arching in Pavilion, but that doesn't sound like a serious issue.

We seemed to have gotten a little bit of spring back today and Monday's snowstorm and yesterday's hail doesn't seem to have done much damage to all the various flowering trees around the city.

Above, Richmond Memorial Library, and bottom photo, behind 400 Towers on Swan Street.

Some 231 National Grid customers in Bethany and Stafford are without power.

The cause is not known at this time.

National Grid estimates power will be restored at 11:15 p.m.

Power went out at 7:59 p.m.

The location is from Ellicott Street Road, including Little Canada, spreading northeast toward Route 5, across Transit Road.

Snow continues to fall on Batavia. We've had two or three inches so far. It's slushy and wet and is barely sticking to paved surfaces at this point.

There's been one cable line down this morning and reports so far of two cars sliding off of roadways.

In Pembroke / Indian Falls, just west of Route 77 and north of Akron Road, 33 National Grid customers are without power.

UPDATE 7:14 a.m.; A winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect until 7 a.m., Tuesday. From 6 to 9 inches of snow possible. Heaviest snowfall expected this morning and early afternoon with up to an inch an hour possible. Winds from the northwest at 10 to 20 mph. Visibility will drop at times to a quarter mile.

Much of Genesee County could see from 8 to 12 inches of snow from a storm expected to hit the region by Monday morning, according to WIVB meteorologist Bryan Shaw (who created the weather map above).

Shaw reports that areas closer to the lakes are more likely to see rain as the air will stay warmer at lower elevations. Further inland and at higher elevations, snow fall will be heavier.

It will take only a few inches of heavy, wet snow to cause damage and possible power outages, Shaw said, because the warm spring has many trees already growing foilage.

A winter storm watch is in effect through Monday evening.

Flowers are blooming, birds are singing ... it was blue skies and nearly 80 degrees yesterday.

But this is Western New York, so we shouldn't be surprised that the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for Sunday evening through Monday evening.

From four to eight inches of heavy wet snow is possible with winds of up to 40 mph.

Visibility at times will be less than half a mile.

The weather service warns of downed trees and power lines with power outages and hazardous driving conditions.

After the tractor fire on Dorman Road in the Town of Batavia, I drove over to Cookson Road -- some of which is unpaved. I stopped in this wooded area and decided to make a picture. What may be notable -- by my memory, the past couple of years, this area has been knee-deep in water. When I was in California, we would have called this a drought condition, but according to U.S. Drought Monitor, we are not currently in drought conditions.

There is a wind advisory in effect for tonight until midnight.

Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected, with possible gusts up to 50 mph.

The weather service warns that gusty winds will make travel difficult for high profile vehicles and may result in falling tree branches and blowing debris.

There is a 50-percent chance of thunderstorms tonight.

Strong winds, dry weather and low humidity are combining to create "explosive fire growth potential" throughout Western New York, according to the National Weather Service.

A "Red Flag" warning has been issued from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today.

Of course, the springtime "no burn" regulations are in effect through May 14.

Winds are expected to blow from 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.

The relative humidity will be as low as 25 percent.

The weather service warns, "any fires will have the potential to grow and spread rapidly."

From the National Weather Service:

... ANOTHER DAY OF ELEVATED FIRE RISK...

A VERY DRY AIRMASS WILL LINGER ACROSS THE REGION TODAY... WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITIES DROPPING INTO THE 30 TO 35 PERCENT RANGE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AWAY FROM THE LAKESHORES... AND AS LOW AS 25 TO 30 PERCENT ACROSS FAR INTERIOR SECTIONS. IT HAS NOW BEEN ABOUT A WEEK SINCE THE LAST RAINFALL... AND LEFTOVER DEAD VEGETATION FROM LAST YEAR SUCH AS GRASSES AND LEAVES REMAINS BONE DRY.

WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH BY MIDDAY... WITH SOME GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH BECOMING POSSIBLE DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON HOURS FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF A WEAK COOL FRONT. WHILE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL ALSO BE ON THE RISE FOLLOWING THE FRONT AND SHOULD PREVENT CONDITIONS FROM REACHING RED FLAG CRITERIA... SUCH CRITERIA COULD STILL BE BRIEFLY APPROACHED FOR A FEW HOURS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS INTERIOR SECTIONS OF THE WESTERN SOUTHERN TIER AND FINGER LAKES REGION.

PLEASE ADHERE TO THE STATEWIDE BURN BAN WHICH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MAY 14TH.

A special weather statement from the National Weather Service:

... ELEVATED FIRE RISK AGAIN TODAY...

HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES WILL CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE A VERY DRY AIRMASS INTO THE REGION TODAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY DROPPING INTO THE 20 TO 25 PERCENT RANGE THIS AFTERNOON INLAND FROM THE LAKESHORES... AND AS LOW AS 15 TO 20 PERCENT ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN. IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 6 DAYS SINCE THE LAST RAINFALL... AND DEAD VEGETATION FROM LAST YEAR SUCH AS GRASSES AND LEAVES ARE VERY DRY.

NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH BY MIDDAY. A FEW GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 MPH ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON ON THE HILLS. CONDITIONS MAY APPROACH RED FLAG CRITERIA FOR A FEW HOURS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE WESTERN SOUTHERN TIER... FINGER LAKES... AND EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO REGION.

PLEASE ADHERE TO THE STATEWIDE BURN BAN WHICH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH MAY 14TH.

There is an elevated risk of fire today because of dry conditions and low humidity, according to the National Weather Service.

It's been five days since rainfall and dead vegetation from last year, such as grasses and leaves, are very dry.

Humidity is expected to drop to 25 or 30 percent this afternoon.

Winds will increase from 10 to 25 mph, with gusts of 25 mph later this afternoon possible.

Conditions may approach "red flag" warning level this afternoon.

A statewide ban on open burns through May 14 remains in effect.

Very dry conditions across Western New York are expected to last through early this evening and the National Weather Service is asking area residents to adhere to all local burn bans.

There is low relative humidity this afternoon of between 15 and 25 percent.

Winds, however, remain generally light and "well below red flag warning criteria."

Temperatures could drop as low as 25 degrees tonight and that is going to be bad news for flowering trees, budding plants and other shrubs with newly sprung sensitive leaves.

"Twenty eight degrees is the critical temperature," said Jan Beglinger, agriculture outreach educator and master gardener coordinator for the Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

If it drops below 28 degrees -- especially if there is no breeze and cloud cover -- a lot of plants could be damaged.

Beglinger recommends covering plants with blankets, burlap or newspaper (but not plastic, which doesn't provide any insulation), where and when possible.

Blooms and budding for plants have come unseasonable early, but Western New York is not officially out of winter yet.

"I knew when we had beautiful weather for 10 straight days, we were going to pay for it," Beglinger said.

Photos of the cherry blossom of the trees between the Upton Monument and the Old Courthouse. I figured today might be my last day this year to get any shots of the blossoms.

It's hard to argue that spring is here. After all, Mother Nature has given her stamp of approval with blooms in abundance.

Above, the magnolia tree at the Holland Land Office Museum is starting starting to produce some color.

There's no surer sign that spring is here than the forsythia in bloom. It's time to prune your rose bushes.

A field of crocus have sprung up in front of a house on Oak Street.

Workers were on Swan Street in Batavia today knocking away loose bricks from the facade of the old Wiard Plow factory office building. Property co-owner Todd Audsley said the goal was to remove loose bricks before high winds hit the area tonight.

Long-term, the owners are working on a restoration project for the building. The facade will eventually be restored to look as much like the original as possible.

There is a high-wind warning in place starting at midnight through 10 p.m., Saturday.

Winds of 35 to 40 mph are expected with gusts up to 70 mph.

Not a lot of wind damage to report so far tonight -- but a window at the WBTA radio studios at Main and Center streets blew out about an hour ago. Frank Bellucci and his son, Frank Jr., from Short Notice handyman service responded to put a patch on the damage.

In other weather-related news (posted by Billie):

UPDATE 8:12 p.m.: Wires are arcing on a pole at 9009 York Road. Le Roy Fire Department is called. National Grid has been notified. The pole number is 8982. Le Roy Fire Police are called to shut down traffic at York Road and Route 5 and also at York and Harris roads.

UPDATE 8:16 p.m.: A transformer is involved. Additional manpower is requested.

UPDATE 8:38 p.m.: A large tree is reportedly down and blocking traffic in the vicinity of Circular Hill and Oatka Trail roads in Le Roy. The county highway department has been notified.

UPDATE 8:47 p.m.: The wind is wreaking havoc on the windows at the dilapidated Wiss Hotel, located at 78 Main St. in Downtown Le Roy. "Two windows are smashed in front of the place and I don't know if anymore are going to come out," a witness told dispatch. Meanwhile, a rep for National Grid is on scene at the York Road arcing pole incident.

UPDATE 9 p.m.: York Road is reopened. Le Roy units responding to that call are back in service. National Grid is handling the situation.

UPDATE 9:03 p.m.: The glass in front of the Wiss Hotel has been swept up and disposed of.

UPDATE 9:04 p.m.: County highway department workers and Sheriff's deputies are on scene at the site of the fallen tree on Circular Hill Road. Le Roy firefighters were also there but are now clearing and back in service.

The National Weather Service is warning that strong winds are blowing toward Genesee County and should hit around 3 p.m.

Gusts of 58 mph and greater are possible.

The warning is in effect until midnight.