Niagara County hit hard by storm
A fast-moving rainstorm, accompanied by high winds and rolling thunder, blew through the region Thursday, interrupting an otherwise spectacular day of sunshine and warm temperatures.
The storm rolled into the area shortly after 1 p. m., pounding northern Niagara County the hardest and causing the National Weather Service to warn that tornadoes could form.
Lightning struck and heavily damaged the chimney of Ransomville Baptist Church on Youngstown-Lockport Road just before 2 p. m., according to Franklin Schafer, a church spokesman.
Schafer said that the chimney was “blown apart” and that firefighters had to chop a hole in the church’s roof to ensure the fire was out.
Police and fire crews also scrambled to deal with power failures, downed utility lines and traffic lights that were out at some intersections, including at Shawnee and Mapleton roads in Lockport.
In North Tonawanda, the storm brought down a few trees and lines, though no fires were reported.
At 2:30 p. m. National Grid reported 7,000 Niagara County customers without power, most of them in Wheatfield and Cambria. The company estimated power was restored to most customers by 4 p. m. About 250 people in Erie County also lost power, mostly in Amherst.
A line of storms carved a path toward Erie County about 2 p. m., and heavy storms struck Buffalo at about 3 p. m.
By 4 p. m., the worst of the weather had passed through both Niagara and Erie counties, although rain showers, thunderstorms and more hail were forecast into the evening Thursday.
That forecast of a recurrence of rain halted the Thursday at the Square performance of Los Lobos, scheduled in Lafayette Square, forcing the band inside to an alternate venue, the Lafayette Tap Room.
National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Paone said the storm weakened as it moved southeast of Erie County.
“Everybody got some necessary rain out of it, so there was some benefit to it as well,” Paone said.
He added that the scattered thunderstorms came in from southern Ontario and lost intensity as they traveled south.
Meanwhile, the state departments of Health and Environmental Conservation — concerned about the high level of pollution—issued an ozone advisory for Western New York that remained in effect through early today.
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