Deep freeze brings relief to neighborhood as floodwaters rapidly turn to ice

SCHENECTADY, NY (WRGB) Neighborhoods around the Mohawk River are still under a flood warning tonight following an ice jam in the Mohawk River.

Monday the river looked like an unplowed road, caked with piles of snow and ice.

The warmer temperatures and rain we saw late last week helped the river reach flood stage this weekend, and the freezing temperatures we're experiencing right now have the stockade looking like an icy tundra.

The scene at Riverside Park reminding 4-year-old Sophia Bachmeyer of her favorite movie, Frozen.

“I told my Dad, this is almost like Elsa's castle!” Bachmeyer said.

The last 24 hours haven't been all fun and games though.

The ice jam in the Mohawk River combined with runoff from last week's Spring-like temperatures and rain caused flooding, leaving homeowners in this flood prone area of Schenectady's Stockade area on pins and needles.

“Just being worried that it would come in my basement and freeze up my water and my furnace,” said resident Eric Laugen.

But as the river overflowed its' banks this weekend, the temperatures fell so fast it created an amazing pile of ice.

Laugen moved his car up Ingersoll Avenue to heed the flood warning, but he only ended up with a dead battery. He says the floodwaters froze before they reached any homes.

“Right now it looks scary but it's just a pile of rubble waiting to go away,” Laugen said.

Authorities had not been called to the flood area Monday, but Schenectady Police Sgt. Matt Dearing says they'll be keeping close watch tonight until the flood warning expires.

“If we get any new information we'll certainly go down that way and let residents know as well,” Dearing said.

The flood warning issued for the Stockade area ends Monday at 9pm.