Washout: An inch or more of rain Thursday could cause minor flooding, push Lake Ontario higher
Heavy rain will hit the Rochester-Finger Lakes region Thursday, with an inch possible in many spots and higher totals possible in the southern parts of the region.
Some minor flooding is possible, and the rain could push already-swollen Lake Ontario to new record heights.
Light rain and a few thundershowers are possible Wednesday, but the heavier precipitation arrives Thursday morning. Rain is expected to continue all day and fall even harder Thursday night, the National Weather Service said. A few thunderstorms are possible as well.
The track of an oncoming storm system remained uncertain Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service said, and hence forecasters found it difficult to predict rainfall totals.
An inch of rain was likely in many locations, with 1½ inches possible in the Southern Tier.
The heavy rain, should it develop as forecast, could put a damper on the hopes of Lake Ontario shoreline property owners that water levels will go down.
The lake has been above the previous record high water level since May 31, and peaked at its highest point yet on Friday after a modest rainfall on Thursday.
It has declined slightly since then, but likely would go up again after Thursday's rainfall, with a new high-water mark possible.
Rain is expected to let up by early Friday, with sunny skies returning for much of the day.
Rainfall in Rochester was very close to the long-term average for the first half of June, but areas near the east end of Lake Ontario have had nearly double their normal ration of rain in that time.