Ice chunks jammed up creeks and tributaries across Western New York as water levels rose in advance of cold and snow.

In South Buffalo's South Park neighborhood, police and firefighters began knocking around 4 a.m. to wake up residents and get to work on watery basements. A knocked-out pilot light could lead to a gas leak.

On Pritchard Avenue, Donna Mazzu is dealing with a basement full of damaged appliances, but also keepsakes that you can't replace.

"Everything you work for, your children's belongings and yours – I know they're just belongings but all of the sudden they're kind of washed away and there's nothing you can do about it," Mazzu said.

To the south, businesses in Chautauqua County dealt with floodwater again, one year ago to the day after roads and parking lots were swamped.