Above: A video report from News 10 of flooding in Middleburgh's Main Street on Friday afternoon.
Just when it was clearing up: Rainstorms moving south through the Hudson Valley prompted a fresh round of flood advisories and a few flash floods on Friday afternoon, a day after an east-moving storm prompted widespread flood watches across the Catskills. Read more
The latest forecasts for a rainstorm sweeping through the area Thursday and into Friday are calling for slightly less rain than originally predicted in some areas, but flood watches remain in effect throughout the Catskills region.
Storm looks to be taking a more southerly track and also a bit weaker as well. While the HV is still under the gun for a 1-3 inch rainfall the 4-5 inches looks a bit less likely. While the 2-3 is still enough to cause some issues with flooding it is a better solution. If the storm trends any further south we may see another reduction is projected rainfall. Read more
Above: 24-hour precipitation forecast for Thursday, June 13, issued Wednesday, June 12. Source: National Weather Service.
Heavy rain is expected to fall across southeastern New York, northeastern Pennsylvania and New England on Thursday, prompting flood watches across the region.
Above: A screenshot from the NWS's river forecast page. Dots indicate USGS streamgauges; the color indicates whether flooding is forecast over the next 48 hours. All gauges in the Catskills region are either green (no flooding forecast) or yellow (near flood stage forecast).
Above: A screenshot of a National Weather Service image showing the projected 5-day track of Tropical Storm Andrea as it moves up the East Coast, as of Thursday afternoon. For a current image, check the NWS's Tropical Storm Andrea page.
Heavy rains and possible flooding are in store for the Catskills region this weekend, starting Friday morning, as the area braces for two storm systems moving into the region.
First on the forecast is a rainstorm moving through the region from the west, beginning Thursday night and continuing into Friday. By Friday afternoon, a tropical storm dubbed "Andrea" will move in from the south, dumping more rain onto an already-saturated landscape. Andrea is not expected to strengthen into a hurricane, but is forecast to bring heavy rains and high winds to a wide swath of the eastern U.S. Read more
Above: A photo of Rte. 30 south of the village of Roxbury tonight around 8:40pm, taken by Jennifer Strom.
While a tornado warning for Delaware County was issued for about 15 minutes on Wednesday night, other weather warning and watches remain in effect until after 11pm.
It is unclear whether a tornado actually touched down in Delaware County.
At 8:30pm, the National Weather Service in Binghamton issued a warning that a tornado or potential tornado was near Dunraven in the town of Middletown.
Although ominous dark clouds and pelting rain were visible in central Delaware County by multiple observers around 8:30pm, so far there have been no reports that a tornado was sighted. Read more
Fishing is a Catskills tradition. The cold, bubbling streams are the birthplace of a distinctly American style of "dry fly" fishing. Catskills anglers have passionate opinions on their painstakingly hand-tied faux "flies," each a miniature work of art.
The Beaverkill, a legendary trout stream running through Sullivan County, is the epicenter of all things trout. On its banks, the Wulff School of Fly Fishing teaches courses to all comers on 100 acres of private streamfront land. Downstream, the hamlet of Roscoe voted the country's "Ultimate Fishing Town" by viewers of the World Fishing Network in 2011. The town is so mad for trout that the Roscoe Beer Company sports a "barley hopper" fly on its logo. Read more
In the summertime, Catskills life revolves around the weekend. That goes for the Esopus Creek, too.
Recreational water releases into the Upper Esopus from the Schoharie Reservoir are usually scheduled about once a month on prime summer weekends, in an agreement hammered out between local recreation groups and the reservoir's New York City overlords. On release days, the creek below the release portal is a wild ride for tubers. Check the websites of the tubing companies for upcoming release dates.
Even on non-release days, the Upper Esopus can be an exciting stretch of water for tubers and kayakers alike. Remember, it's nature, not a theme park: Be prepared to meet a few of our abundant native rocks. Two tubing companies operate out of the funky little mountain town of Phoenicia. Both offer wetsuit and gear rentals, group rates, and bus transport to and from the river. Read more
We could tell you where our favorite secret Catskills swimming holes are, but then we'd have to kill you. Odds are if you behave yourself and ask nicely, you can get a local to point you in the direction of a sweet spot for those in the know; in the meantime, here are a few publicly-accessible swimming spots, from lifeguarded beaches to blue holes in the wilderness. Leave them as nice as you found them, please.
Belleayre Beach A summer favorite for families and picnickers, this man-made lake has it all: kayaks and pedal boats, barbecue grills, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoe pits, swimming lessons, and a white sand beach. The sand definitely isn't local, but the vibe most assuredly is. Pine Hill. Route 28. Read more
