BUFFALO, N.Y. — Halfway through the month the cumulative rainfall since the beginning of July already ranked within the top five wettest Julys on record. And with more rainy days that followed, this July will end up in the top three.
As of Saturday, July 31, 7.49 inches of rain has fallen at the Buffalo Airport since July 1. This monthly rain total puts July of 2021 as the third wettest July on record in Buffalo. The city's records are based on observations taken at the National Weather Service Office located at the Buffalo Airport in Cheektowaga.
That being said, a lot more rain fell within July elsewhere across Western New York. An impressive 11.44 inches of rain fell this month in Jamestown, 9.84 inches in Niagara Falls, 8.65 inches in Olean, and 7.6 inches in Wyoming to name a few.
Keep in mind the normal monthly rain totals for July are between 3 to 5 inches for Western New York, so many locations experienced an additional 3 to 6 on top of that this month.
It rained every single day from July 6 through July 18. And there was near record daily rainfall recorded on July 17 with 2.67 inches of rain falling within 24 hours at the Buffalo Airport. Only three-hundredths of an inch more, and it would have tied the daily all time record rainfall for the day set back on July 17, 1873. And in total, July 17, 2021 was the 23rd-wettest day in Buffalo history since record keeping began over 150 years ago.
So it's no wonder that flooding was a huge problem this month. A flash flood emergency occurred near Bemus Point on July 16 when a local creek overflowed after 3 to 4 inches fell locally. The Shore Acres community had to be evacuated because of rapid rising water levels.
And between 3 to 5 inches fell across southern Niagara County in less than 12 hours on July 20, just a few days after 2 to 4 inches fell within the same region. This lead to flash flooding in southern Niagara County, so much so a State of Emergency was issued as roads became impassable because of the floodwaters and many local businesses flooded.
To think the third wettest July on record came directly after the hottest July on record in Buffalo in 2020!
