Fri September 18 New York (Lake Erie) & New York (Lake Ontario) & Ohio Storm
Sep 18 Alley front -- 0.3" delivered, Johnson Creek peaked +14hrs as expected.
Meteorological Analysis
A moderate storm system rolled through the Steelhead Alley region starting on Friday, September 18, 2026 and lasting until Friday, September 18, 2026. The storm was active for approximately 1 hours, dumping a maximum of 0.31" of rain across affected zones. Geographically, the weather system impacted the New York (Lake Erie), New York (Lake Ontario), Ohio regions, causing rapid water-level rises on multiple tributaries.
Gauges recorded significant river responses, particularly along Sandy Creek (Adams) (peaking at 37 CFS), Eighteenmile Creek (Niagara) (peaking at 121 CFS), Sandy Creek (Hamlin) (peaking at 73 CFS), Black River (Watertown) (peaking at 1,400 CFS), Buffalo Creek (peaking at 24 CFS), Salmon River (peaking at 228 CFS), Irondequoit Creek (peaking at 72 CFS), Cazenovia Creek (peaking at 18 CFS), Oak Orchard Creek (peaking at 909 CFS), Brandy Run near Girard (peaking at 4 CFS), Cattaraugus Creek (peaking at 237 CFS), Chautauqua Creek (peaking at 28 CFS), Canadaway Creek (peaking at 9 CFS), Silver Creek (peaking at 3 CFS), Cuyahoga River @ Independence (peaking at 509 CFS), Eighteen Mile Creek (peaking at 11 CFS), Vermilion River @ Vermilion (peaking at 19 CFS), Black River (peaking at 25 CFS), Huron River (peaking at 34 CFS), Grand River near Painesville (peaking at 54 CFS), Conneaut Creek (peaking at 150 CFS), Euclid Creek (peaking at 8 CFS), Ashtabula River (peaking at 117 CFS), Chagrin River @ Willoughby (peaking at 57 CFS), Genesee River (peaking at 1,260 CFS), Rocky River near Berea (peaking at 115 CFS), Johnson Creek (peaking at 91 CFS). Angling conditions deteriorated quickly during the peak flow periods, leading to temporary washouts. Gaging stations monitored the recovery times as flows began returning to their baselines, mapping out the best windows for fishermen to get back on the water.
From a weather prediction standpoint, the NWS forecasts for this event received an aggregate score card grade of 'A'. Gaging observations were matched against NWS precipitation models to assess the forecasting margins, highlighting the variance in local rainfall amounts across the lake shores.
Tributary Response & Recovery
Sandy Creek (Adams)
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 37 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Eighteenmile Creek (Niagara)
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 121 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Sandy Creek (Hamlin)
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 73 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Black River (Watertown)
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 1,400 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Buffalo Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 24 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Salmon River
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 228 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Irondequoit Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 72 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Cazenovia Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 18 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:15
Oak Orchard Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 909 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:15
Brandy Run near Girard
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 4 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Cattaraugus Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 237 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
- Recovers By
- Sep 18, 05:30
Chautauqua Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 28 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Canadaway Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 9 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:15
Silver Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 3 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:30
Cuyahoga River @ Independence
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 509 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Eighteen Mile Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- 11 CFS
- Observed Peak
- 11 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 06:00
- Baseline Return
- Sep 18, 07:00
Vermilion River @ Vermilion
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 19 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Black River
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 25 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Huron River
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 34 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Grand River near Painesville
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 54 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
- Recovers By
- Sep 18, 05:30
Conneaut Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 150 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Euclid Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 8 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:04
Ashtabula River
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 117 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:15
Chagrin River @ Willoughby
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 57 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Genesee River
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 1,260 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:15
Rocky River near Berea
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 115 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:30
Johnson Creek
- Pre-Storm Flow
- N/A
- Observed Peak
- 91 CFS
- Peak Time
- Sep 18, 05:00
Fishing Guide & Tactics
Looking for advice on how to target steelhead on these rivers when they are recovering from a storm? Check out our master guides:
