The showers and thunderstorms that were forecast to begin after midnight got an early start Friday evening.
Severe thunderstorms swept through the region, bringing down some power lines and disrupting electricity for thousands of National Grid customers. A wind gust of 58 miles per hour was reported in the Niagara County community of Olcott. More than two inches of rain resulted in reports of flooding in Pendleton and Lockport. And thousands of people attending the Bisons game and Tragically Hip concert at the Outer Harbor were drenched.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Kirk Apfel said these storms will finally bring relief from nearly a week of temperatures in the 90s. Humidity will drop over the course of the weekend with highs in the upper 70s by Sunday.
The cooler temperatures this weekend are expected to lessen the demand on the state's power grid.