Extreme Heat Lingers; Severe Thunderstorms for Portions of the Plains and Southeast; Heavy Rainfall Threats

Gusty winds and heavy rainfall may impact the Big Island of Hawaii as a nearby tropical system passes west of the islands. From the Southwest U.S., Rockies and across the Gulf Coast, heavy rainfall could lead to isolated flash flooding. Severe thunderstorms are expected for areas of the Plains, Gulf Coast and Southeast through Tuesday. Extreme heat lingers for the southern Plains and Southwest. Read More >

Western New York Weather History

JUNE 30

1976

Severe thunderstorms in Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara, and Genesee counties caused high winds and marble sized hail. A small tornado moved from Silver Creek to near the corner of French and Union roads in Cheektowaga to Newstead, southwest of Akron, causing minor damage.

1990

Thunderstorms developed in warm, unstable air ahead of a cold front associated with low pressure over Ontario, Canada. The thunderstorms downed numerous trees and power lines in Albion, Pembroke, Avon, Groveland, Middleport and Alexander. In Albion, the trees downed were between fifty and sixty feet tall.

1995

Slow moving thunderstorms across the western southern tier dropped heavy rains which resulted in flooded basements. Several roads throughout Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties had to be closed because of the flood waters. In Sinclairville, a Weather Service Cooperative Observer recorded over four inches of rain in less than three hours.

1998

Thunderstorms moved onshore from Lake Ontario during the early morning hours producing damaging winds which downed lines, trees and limbs in both Niagara and Orleans counties. Damage was reported in Lewiston and Lyndonville. Then, thunderstorms during the early afternoon hours crossed the Niagara Frontier and western Finger Lakes. The thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds which downed trees and power lines. Large hail was reported in Buffalo, Conesus, and Hemlock. Several inches of rain fell over the same area resulting in urban and poor drainage flooding in the Rochester metro area, including the town of Brighton.

2006

Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours as an upper level trough crossed the region. The storms produced hail up to one inch in diameter. Hail reports spanned from Wheatfield across Cheektowaga, Lancaster, Hamburg and Colden to Varysburg. One thunderstorm spawned a tornado which moved across the Town of Cheektowaga. The tornado initially touched down around 2:55 p.m. on Walden Avenue near Harlem Road and traveled from the northwest to the southeast through the town. On Walden Avenue, a construction trailer was moved several hundred feet. The worker in the trailer suffered minor injuries. As the tornado moved across the New York State Thruway, it lifted a tractor trailer and deposited on its side across the Jersey barrier. The driver of the truck suffered a broken leg. The tornado continued on its southeast trek damaging a 20 by 30 foot section of a wall on a warehouse and then downed trees as it crossed through central Cheektowaga. The tornado touched down several times along its path. Its final touchdown was at the Parkside Village Mobile Home Park around 3:05 p.m. where three mobile homes sustained significant damage and eight others sustained minor damage. The tornado was ranked an F1 with a path length of three miles and a width of 75 yards. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours as an upper level trough crossed the region. The storms produced hail up to one inch in diameter in Jefferson county. In Indian River, Lewis county, the thunderstorm winds downed trees.

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