A cold front will cross the Great Lakes and Northeast U.S. through today with gusty winds and areas of rain showers. A strong atmospheric river is then expected to move into the Northwest by midweek bringing a threat for moderate to heavy rainfall and flooding, gusty winds, and mountain snows for parts of Washington, Oregon, northern California, and the Sierra Nevada. Read More >
May 18 was the second straight day of widespread 90 degree weather across the Albany forecast area. The hot airmass, despite not being overly humid, provided an unstable environment conducive for thunderstorm development. Thunderstorms began to form in the early afternoon over western New York along a lake breeze boundary. These storms pushed into the Albany forecast area in the mid-afternoon, with the first report of severe weather occurring at 5:38 pm in the Mohawk Valley. The storms were isolated with large hail initially, but a stronger cluster of storms approached from the west after 6 pm. The main hazard with these storms was wind damage as they moved from the Mohawk Valley through the Capital District and into the Lake George Saratoga region by the evening hours. Numerous reports of downed trees and powerlines occurred in this area. The worst damage occurred from Queensbury in Warren County to Kingsbury in Washington County. These storms produced a macroburst, or concentrated area of straight line wind damage. These winds were measured at 68 mph at the Glens Falls New York State Mesonet site, and were estimated to be as high as 90 mph, resulting in widespread tree damage, destroying a barn, and damaging the roofs of a couple of other buildings (see below for more details). Another cluster of storms resulted in wind damage over portions of Dutchess and Litchfield Counties toward midnight.
Public Information Statement (PDF)
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Albany NY 218 PM EDT Fri May 19 2017 ...MACROBURST /STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE/ CONFIRMED FROM QUEENSBURY IN WARREN COUNTY TO KINGSBURY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY NEW YORK... Location...Queensbury in Warren County across the county line to Kingsbury in Washington County New York Date...May 18, 2017 Estimated Time...730-740 PM EDT Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...90 MPH Maximum Path Width...1.5 Miles Path Length...3 Miles * Fatalities...0 * Injuries...0 * The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event(s) and publication in NWS Storm Data. ...Summary... The National Weather Service in Albany NY has confirmed a macroburst /straight line wind damage/ from Queensbury in Warren County to Kingsbury in Washington County New York on May 18, 2017. Confirmation is based on maps and pictures provided by Washington County Emergency Management, newspaper photos, storm damage reports from Warren County Emergency Management and trained spotter reports. Winds from the macroburst did extensive damage to trees, flattened a barn and tore part of a roof off a building. Power outages, damage to homes from falling trees, and road closures were widespread in this area. Damage started near the Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport. However, communications to the Automated Surface Observing System /ASOS/ that provides weather information at the airport were lost. Communications are still down so no measured wind speeds are available from the airport. This information can also be found on our website at weather.gov/ALY. For Reference: A macroburst is a convective downdraft with an affect outflow area of at least 2 1/2 miles across and peak winds lasting between 5 and 20 minutes. Intense macrobursts may cause tornado-force damage of up to EF3 intensity. Straight-line winds are generally any wind that is not associated with rotation, used mainly to differentiate them from tornadic winds.
Image courtesy of Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM). Yellow boxes are severe thunderstorm warnings.
Local Storm Reports (LSR) are also shown plotted on the map.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
149 PM EDT FRI MAY 19 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0538 PM HAIL 1 SE KRINGSBUSH 43.00N 74.62W
05/18/2017 M1.50 INCH MONTGOMERY NY PUBLIC
0602 PM HAIL BLEECKER 43.12N 74.37W
05/18/2017 M1.00 INCH FULTON NY PUBLIC
0607 PM HAIL MAYFIELD 43.10N 74.27W
05/18/2017 M0.88 INCH FULTON NY FACEBOOK
0608 PM HAIL 1 W VAIL MILLS 43.05N 74.24W
05/18/2017 M1.00 INCH FULTON NY PUBLIC
0618 PM HAIL 1 NW RICEVILLE 43.10N 74.30W
05/18/2017 M1.25 INCH FULTON NY TRAINED SPOTTER
0623 PM TSTM WND DMG WEST WINFIELD 42.88N 75.19W
05/18/2017 HERKIMER NY 911 CALL CENTER
TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0633 PM HAIL 1 WSW EAGLE BAY 43.76N 74.84W
05/18/2017 M0.88 INCH HERKIMER NY PUBLIC
0641 PM TSTM WND DMG VAN HORNESVILLE 42.90N 74.83W
05/18/2017 HERKIMER NY 911 CALL CENTER
TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0702 PM TSTM WND DMG AMES 42.84N 74.60W
05/18/2017 MONTGOMERY NY FACEBOOK
REPORT OF A TREE... WIRES... AND A TRANSFORMER DOWN
0709 PM HAIL INDIAN LAKE 43.79N 74.27W
05/18/2017 M1.50 INCH HAMILTON NY PUBLIC
0711 PM HAIL INDIAN LAKE 43.78N 74.27W
05/18/2017 M1.00 INCH HAMILTON NY TRAINED SPOTTER
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG QUEENSBURY 43.36N 73.67W
05/18/2017 WARREN NY PUBLIC
TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN ALONG BAY ROAD
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SSE ONEIDA CORNERS 43.35N 73.62W
05/18/2017 WARREN NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES AND WIRES DOWN BLOCKING RIDGE ROAD
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNE ONEIDA CORNERS 43.39N 73.62W
05/18/2017 WARREN NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE DOWN ON CAR
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NE QUEENSBURY 43.37N 73.66W
05/18/2017 WARREN NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE DOWN ON HOUSE
0732 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 WSW SOUTH AMSTERDAM 42.93N 74.21W
05/18/2017 MONTGOMERY NY FACEBOOK
TREE DOWN BLOCKING ROAD INTERSECTION OF VERBRASKA RD
AND ROUTE 5S
0735 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 WNW WALLINS CORNERS 42.98N 74.19W
05/18/2017 MONTGOMERY NY FACEBOOK
TREE DOWN ON TRAILER
0735 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SE ONEIDA CORNERS 43.35N 73.60W
05/18/2017 WASHINGTON NY EMERGENCY MNGR
LARGE PORTION OF A METAL ROOF BLOWN OFF. TREE UPROOTED
FLIPPING OVER TWO VEHICLES.
0737 PM TSTM WND DMG EAST GALWAY 43.07N 73.99W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN
0740 PM TSTM WND DMG KINGSBURY 43.36N 73.52W
05/18/2017 WASHINGTON NY EMERGENCY MNGR
ONE BARN DAMAGED AND ONE BARN DESTROYED ON HENDEE RD.
THE ROOF OF THE BARN WAS BLOWN A QUARTER MILE AWAY.
0740 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SSE HAWTHORNE HILL 42.78N 73.87W
05/18/2017 SCHENECTADY NY NEWSPAPER
TREE DOWN ON HOUSE ON PEARSE RD
0745 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 NNE SARATOGA SPRINGS 43.09N 73.77W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY TWITTER
LARGE OAK TREE UPROOTED
0745 PM TSTM WND DMG EDDY CORNERS 43.05N 73.77W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY WNYT
TREE DOWN ON UNOCCUPIED VAN
0747 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 N SARATOGA LAKE 43.05N 73.73W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY FACEBOOK
TREES DOWN BETWEEN LAKE LONELY AND SARATOGA LAKE
0752 PM TSTM WND DMG SARATOGA SPRINGS 43.07N 73.78W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY PUBLIC
LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN
0752 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ENE FLAGLER CORNERS 42.86N 73.77W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE LIMBS DOWN ON ROUTE 9
0752 PM TSTM WND DMG COHOES 42.77N 73.70W
05/18/2017 ALBANY NY NEWSPAPER
TREE DOWN ON HOUSE ON MOHAWK ST
0754 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 NNE SARATOGA SPRINGS 43.09N 73.77W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER
0756 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNE NISKAYUNA 42.83N 73.89W
05/18/2017 SCHENECTADY NY TWITTER
TREES AND WIRES DOWN JUST WEST OF BALLTOWN ROAD
0756 PM TSTM WND DMG LATHAM 42.75N 73.75W
05/18/2017 ALBANY NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES AND WIRES DOWN. POWER OUTAGES REPORTED.
0757 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SSW TROY 42.72N 73.68W
05/18/2017 RENSSELAER NY PUBLIC
TREE DOWN
0757 PM TSTM WND DMG RENSSELAER 42.64N 73.73W
05/18/2017 RENSSELAER NY PUBLIC
TREES DOWN
0800 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SE PARADISE BEACH 43.34N 73.67W
05/18/2017 WARREN NY TRAINED SPOTTER
WIRES DOWN RESULTING IN STRUCTURE FIRE
0800 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 S EDDY CORNERS 43.05N 73.77W
05/18/2017 SARATOGA NY AMATEUR RADIO
MULTIPLE TREES DOWN BLOCKING TWO LANES OF INTERSTATE 87
0800 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 W SOUTH TROY 42.70N 73.69W
05/18/2017 RENSSELAER NY PUBLIC
TREES DOWN ON POWER LINES
0800 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 ESE DEFREESTVILLE 42.64N 73.67W
05/18/2017 RENSSELAER NY NEWSPAPER
TREES AND WIRES DOWN ACROSS MORNER RD
0813 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 S NORTH PETERSBURG 42.80N 73.33W
05/18/2017 RENSSELAER NY STORM CHASER
TREE LIMBS DOWN FROM WIND AND LIGHTNING
0817 PM TSTM WND DMG NORTH HOOSICK 42.93N 73.34W
05/18/2017 RENSSELAER NY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
MULTIPLE REPORTS OF TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0825 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NE NEWTONVILLE 42.73N 73.75W
05/18/2017 ALBANY NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE DOWN
0827 PM TSTM WND DMG BENNINGTON 42.87N 73.19W
05/18/2017 BENNINGTON VT LAW ENFORCEMENT
WIRES DOWN
0903 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 N BELLOWS FALLS 43.17N 72.46W
05/18/2017 WINDHAM VT LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND WIRES DOWN ALONG ROUTES 5 AND 91
0905 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SW WESTMINSTER 43.07N 72.46W
05/18/2017 WINDHAM VT LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND WIRES DOWN ALONG ROUTES 5 AND 91
0905 PM TSTM WND DMG PUTNEY STATION 42.97N 72.52W
05/18/2017 WINDHAM VT LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND WIRES DOWN ALONG ROUTES 5 AND 91
0910 PM TSTM WND DMG STOCKPORT 42.31N 73.75W
05/18/2017 COLUMBIA NY 911 CALL CENTER
TREES DOWN ON WIRES.
0945 PM LIGHTNING SLINGERLANDS 42.63N 73.87W
05/18/2017 ALBANY NY NEWSPAPER
HOUSE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AND CAUGHT FIRE
1148 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNE DOVER FURNACE 41.70N 73.58W
05/18/2017 DUTCHESS NY 911 CALL CENTER
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN NEAR ROUTE 22 AND EAST DUNCAN HILL
ROAD.. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
1150 PM TSTM WND DMG ONIONTOWN 41.72N 73.58W
05/18/2017 DUTCHESS NY EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE AND WIRES DOWN ON OLD ROUTE 22
1155 PM TSTM WND DMG KENT 41.72N 73.48W
05/18/2017 LITCHFIELD CT 911 CALL CENTER
SEVERAL TREES DOWN
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