Alert archive / New York / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Albany, NY

November 16, 1989Putnam County, New York

NWS Albany, NY issued this tornado warning at Nov 16, 1989, 1:00 PM EST for Putnam County, New York. It was in force for 30 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 16, 1989, 1:00 PM EST (18:00 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 1989, 1:30 PM EST
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Albany, NY
Area
Whole counties

County Putnam County, NY

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALB), launched 12:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 141 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 1989-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 47 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 1989-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 316 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
47 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
697 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
316 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
432 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KALB 161800
TORALB
NYC079-161830-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
100 PM EST THU NOV 16 1989

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 130 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK
      SOUTHERN PUTNAM

AT 1PM SPOTTERS REPORTED A POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR PEEKSKILLS NEW
YORK. THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL PASS NEAR OSCAWANNA LAKE.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER
IF AVAILABLE...OTHERWISE TO A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING.

IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA THREATENED BY THE STORM..GO TO A REINFORCED
SHELTER AND PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY
RAIN AND LIGHTNING.

 SNYDER

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 16, 10:52 AM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMNMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1045 AM EST THU NOV 16 1989

....A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT IN MUCH OF THE HUDSON VALLEY
FROM THE CAPITAL DISTRICT SOUTH...AND THE CATSKILLS UNTIL 3 PM
THIS AFTERNOON...

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IN THESE AREAS.

AT 1045 THIS MORNING WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED WIDESPREAD
RAIN SHOWERS OVER EASTERN NEW YORK. SHOWERS WITH VERY HEAVY
DOWNPOURS WERE NUMEROUS FROM BLUE MOUNTAIN IN THE ADIRONDACKS
TO NEAR HALE EDDY. THEY WERE ALSO NUMEROUS FROM THE SOUTHERN
GREEN MOUNTAINS TO WESTERN CONNECTICUT.

SOUTH WINDS WERE WIPPING ACROSS THE REGION AT 20 TO 35 MPH
AND GUSTING TO OVER 45 MPH AT TIMES. SECURE ANY PROPERTY THAT
MAY BLOW AWAY. DRIVERS OF LARGE TRUCKS OR OTHER HIGH PROFILE
VEHICLES SHOULD SLOW DOWN AS WINDS WILL MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE WATCH AREA BE ALERT FOR RAPID WEATHER CHANGES
AND FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

THE LEADING EDGE OF MUCH COLDER AIR WAS DRIVING EAST ACROSS
NEW YORK THIS MORNING. THIS COLD FRONT WAS FROM WATERTOWN
TO BINGHAMPTON. THIS FRONT WILL REACH THE HUDSON VALLEY BY MID
AFTERNOON. BEHIND IT TEMPERATURES WILL FALL RAPIDLY FROM THE
60S TO THE 30S. WINDS WILL BECOME WEST 15 TO 30 MPH.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY NOON.

SNYDER
Local storm report, Nov 16, 11:40 AM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP G
1142AM EST THU NOV 16 1989
GMSO WLSR APTS
06800        FILE 28   MONTGOMERY CO SO FONDA        111689
TO           NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
                   THUNDERSTORM/HIGH WIND

LOCATION (INCLUDING TOWN AND NEAREST ROAD): TOWNS OF ST JOHNSVILLE AND
MINDEN
DATE AND TIME CONDITION STARTED: 111689  1115AM
EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR AREAS IN DANGER: NONE AT PRESENT

CHECK ONE:
HAIL SIZE REPORTED
( ) - NO HAIL REPORTED    (X) - LESS THAN 1/2" (PEA)
( ) - 1/2" (MARBLE)       ( ) - 1/2" TO 3/4" (PENNY)
( ) - 3/4" TO 1" (DIME)   ( ) - 1.25" (HALF DOLLAR)
( ) - 1.50" (WALNUT)      ( ) - 1.75" (GOLFBALL)
( ) - 2.00" (HENS EGG     ( ) - 2.50" (TENNISBALL)
( ) - 2.75" (BASEBALL)    ( ) - 3.00" (TES CUP)
( ) - 4.00" (GRAPEFRUIT)  ( ) - 4.50" (SOFTBALL)
NUMBER KILLED:          NUMBER INJURED:

CHECK ONE OR MORE AS APPLICABLE:
LIGHTNING REPORTED AS ( ) - CLOUD TO CLOUD  ( ) - CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING DAMAGE TO:            ( ) - TREES
( ) - POWER/TELCO POLES   ( ) - POWER/TELCO LINES
( ) - COMM. BUILDINGS     ( ) - PRIVATE HOMES
( ) - OUT/FARM BUILDINGS  ( ) - CROPS
NUMBER KILLED:          NUMBER INJURED:

CHECK ONE OR MORE AS APPLICABLE:
HIGH WIND/T'STORM WIND DAMAGE   ( ) - CROPS
( ) - SMALL TREES/SHRUBS  ( ) - LARGE TREES
( ) - COMM. BUILDINGS     ( ) - PRIVATE HOMES
( ) - OUT/FARM BUILDINGS  ( ) - POWER/TELCO POLES
( ) - POWER/TELCO LINES

RELIABLE WIND SPEED REPORTS:  35 MPH OR    KNOTS
NUMBER KILLED:          NUMBER INJURED:

FLOODING (IF EXTENSIVE, SEND SEPARATE FLOOD MESSAGE FROM MENU)
( ) - STORM SEWER OVERFLOWS, UNDERPASSES, STREET FLOODING
( ) - LOCAL SMALL CREEKS OVERFLOWING
( ) - STREAMS AND LARGE CREEKS FLOODING (COMPLETE REMARKS W/DAMAGE

REMARKS: THUNDER PRESENT                                     

AUTH PHONE #: 518 853-4435
AUTH SHERIFF RONALD R EMERY         PELOSI        11:41AM
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 11:53 AM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMNMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1145 AM EST THU NOV 16 1989

A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS WAS FROM JUST
EAST OF HINCKLEY IN HERKIMER COUNTY TO WESTERN ULSTER COUNTY.

THE STORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST DOWNPOURS WERE JUST SOUTH OF MOHAWK AND
JUST NORTHWEST OF FROST VALLEY ULSTER COUNTY.

PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN FONDA.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. THE MAY HAVE DAMAGING
WINDS. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST NEW YORK UNTIL
300 PM. IT INCLUDES THE EASTERN MOHAWK AND HUDSON VALLEYS AND CATSKILS.

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM THE ADIRONDACKS NORTH TO THE
CANADIAN BORDER. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF POWER LINES AND TREES BLOWN DOWN
HAVE BEEN RECIEVED.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE WATCH AREA BE ALERT FOR RAPID WEATHER CHANGES
AND FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

THE LEADING EDGE OF MUCH COLDER AIR WAS DRIVING EAST ACROSS
NEW YORK THIS MORNING. THIS COLD FRONT WAS FROM WATERTOWN
TO BINGHAMPTON. THIS FRONT WILL REACH THE HUDSON VALLEY BY MID
AFTERNOON. BEHIND IT TEMPERATURES WILL FALL RAPIDLY FROM THE
60S TO THE- 30S. WINDS WILL BECOME WEST 15 TO 30 MPH.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY NOON.

WRS/LJM
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 12:34 PM EST, 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMNMARY...COR TIME OF NEXT STMT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1231 PM EST THU NOV 16 1989

A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS WAS FROM NEAR
INDIAN LAKE IN HAMILTON TO NEAR NEWBURGH IN ORANGE COUNTY.

THE STORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST DOWNPOURS WERE NEAR CAROGA LAKE AND
EPHRATAH IN FULTON COUNTY...AND APPROACHING KINGSTON IN ULSTER
COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. THE MAY HAVE DAMAGING
WINDS...AND THE DOWNPOURS MAY CAUSE LOCAL FLOODING.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK
UNTIL 300 PM EST...AND FOR NORTHEAST NEW YORK UNTIL 600 PM EST.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT IN FULTON AND MONTGOMERY
COUNTIES UNTIL 100 PM AND FOR SARATOGA COUNTY UNTIL 1245 PM.

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FROM THE ADIRONDACKS NORTH TO THE
CANADIAN BORDER.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE WATCH AREA BE ALERT FOR RAPID WEATHER CHANGES
AND FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

THE LEADING EDGE OF MUCH COLDER AIR WAS DRIVING EAST ACROSS
NEW YORK THIS MORNING. THIS COLD FRONT WAS FROM WATERTOWN
TO BINGHAMPTON. THIS FRONT WILL REACH THE HUDSON VALLEY BY MID
AFTERNOON. BEHIND IT TEMPERATURES WILL FALL RAPIDLY FROM THE
60S TO THE 30S. WINDS WILL BECOME WEST 15 TO 30 MPH.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 130 PM

LJM
Local storm report, Nov 16, 12:40 PM EST, 20 minutes before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP C
1241PM EST THU NOV 16 1989
COSO WLSR APTS
03384    FILE 28   OTSEGO COSO COOPERSTOWN           NOV 16-89
TO       NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
                   PRECIPITATION REPORT

RAINFALL (CHECK ONE & ENTER LOCATION):
( ) - 1.0 INCHES IN 3 HOURS AT
(X) - 1.5 INCHES IN 3 HOURS AT VILLAGE OF MILFORD OTSEGO CO
( ) - 2.0 INCHES IN 3 HOURS AT
24 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING 0700 LOCAL TIME:     INCHES

FREEZING RAIN:
( ) - NO ACCUMULATION      ( ) - ACCUMULATION -      INCHES
LOCATION:

SLEET REPORTED AT:

TOTAL SNOWFALL ENDING 0700 LOCAL TIME:
( ) - LESS THAN 1" ( ) - 1" TO 3"   ( ) - 3" TO 6"
( ) - 6" TO 9"     ( ) - 9" TO 12"  ( ) - 12" TO 18"
( ) - 18" TO 24"   ( ) - MORE THAN 24" - SPECIFY:    "
LOCATION:

REMARKS (INCLUDING INJURY OR DEATH):

AUTH PHONE #: 607 547-5351
AUTH COORDINATOR ROBERT S BARNES    JONES         12-42 PM
Local storm report, Nov 16, 12:54 PM EST, 6 minutes before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP C
1256PM EST THU NOV 16 1989
COSO WLSR APTS
03385    FILE 28   OTSEGO CO SO COOPERSTOWN          NOV 16-89
TO           NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
                   (SPECIFY TYPE OF WEATHER OR EARTHQUAKE EVENT)

DETAILS CONCERNING EVENT: FLOODING AND HIGH WIND TREES WIRES

LOCATION (INCLUDING TOWN AND NEAREST ROAD): TN/RICHFIELD RTE 20
TN/EDMESTON RT 80 TN/PITTSFIELD CO 16 GARRATTSVILLE
DATE AND TIME CONDITION STARTED: 10:30 AM 11/16/89
DATE AND TIME CONDITION ENDED: OPEN
EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR AREAS IN DANGER: RESIDENTIAL CELLAR FLOODING
SOME MINOR ROAD FLOODING AREA ROADS OPEN THUS FAR
NUMBER KILLED: 00       NUMBER INJURED: 00
REMARKS: HIGH WINDS EXPERIENCED HEAVY RAIN

AUTH PHONE #: 607 547-5351
AUTH ESC ROBERT S BARNES            JONES         12-55 PM

The office that day

Everything else NWS Albany, NY issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 16, 11:05 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningALYHamilton, Herkimer25 min
Nov 16, 12:03 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningALYFulton, Montgomery57 min
Nov 16, 12:18 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningALYSaratoga27 min
Nov 16, 12:35 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningALYFulton, Herkimer, Montgomery3 hr
Nov 16, 1:07 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningALYAlbany, Greene53 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in New York, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes in 1989

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.