On Monday December 18, the heavens opened above Ulster County. The rain poured down uninterrupted for hours.
With the sirens of fire engines singing down the hill near the Rondout Creek, Kingston mayor Steve Noble released a statement informing residents of the dangerous conditions they could expect well into the evening. The high-water mark when the Hudson would flow backward into the Rondout and meet the millions of gallons of rainwater pouring out of the hills inland was expected at 5:45 p.m.
Before beginning to recede Monday, the roaring Esopus Creek rose to near-flood levels in Shandaken and Olive, and its tributaries were swollen with water. The same was true for the Lower Esopus at Mount Marion in Saugerties, where the river peaked at 1.4 feet above flood level, according to the National Weather Service. Flooding from the Wallkill River caused Springtown Road and Route 299 West in New Paltz to close on Monday afternoon.
The storm system brought 4.5 inches of rain and counting to the area. Residents closest to streams throughout Ulster County experienced considerable flooding. Roads off waterfront streets were closed to through traffic. Orange cones indicating roads flooded by streams were everywhere. Flood-adjacent residents were advised to listen to National Weather Service advisories.
The federal government encourages the telling of flood stories. “Learn how to better protect yourself and your family by reading our flood survivor stories,” the National Weather Service website urges. “If you, or someone you know, have been a victim of a flood, please share your story so we can prevent others from becoming a victim.”
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