Alert archive / New York / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1991

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 23, NWS Buffalo, NY

July 7, 1991Cattaraugus County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 7, 1991, 6:15 AM EDT for Cattaraugus County, New York. It was in force for 60 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 7, 1991, 6:15 AM EDT (10:15 UTC)
Expired
Jul 7, 1991, 7:15 AM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Whole counties

County Cattaraugus County, NY

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 7, 6:30 AM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Cattaraugus, NY

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 00:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 76 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 00:00Z on 1991-07-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 00:00Z on 1991-07-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 32 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2191 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
32 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 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 KBUF 071019
SVRBUF
NYC009-071115-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
615 AM EDT SUN JUL 7 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  715 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN  NEW YORK
          ...CATTARAUGUS
 
AT 610 AM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY. WINDS FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM DOWNED TREES AND POWER
LINES NEAR FINDLEY LAKE IN CHAUTAUUQA COUNTY DURING THE PAST HALF
HOUR.
 
THE ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
 
 
BE ON THE ALERT FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY FREQUENT
LIGHTNING...STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.  LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN MAY ALSO CAUSE DRAINAGE FLOODING.
 
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY.
IN HOMES A BASEMENT OR INTERIOR ROOM IS THE SAFEST LOCATION.
 
TAN

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Jul 7, 3:30 AM EDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
NYZ002-070900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORMS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER NY
330 AM EDT SUN JUL 7 1991

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE APPROACHING THE
   WESTERN FINGER LAKES REGION AND GREATER ROCHESTER...

AT 325 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THAT
AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS JUST WEST OF THE ROCHESTER AREA. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE ONTARIO AND
EXTEND WESTWARD INTO THE NIAGARA PENNISULA OF ONTARIO.

THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 40 MPH AND SHOULD MOVE
INTO THE ROCHESTER AREA...AND NORTHERN GENESEE RIVER VALLEY...BY 4AM.

PERSONS IN THIS ABOVE AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THUNDERSTORMS
CONTAINING GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS FREQUENT LIGHTNING...POSSIBLE HAIL...
AND VERY HEAVY RAINS. HEAVY RAINS COULD CAUSE SOME DRAINAGE FLOODING.
.
YOU SHOULD KEEP LISTENING FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
FROM YOUR LOCAL% NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

SCHWIBS
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 3:46 AM EDT, 2 hours 29 minutes before
RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
430 AM EDT SUN JUL 7 1991

DO NOT USE AFTER 6 AM

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 647 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9AM EDT FOR
   A LARGE PORTION OF WESTERN NEW YO
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 4:47 AM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
RADAR SUMMARY (CORRECTED FOR CELL MOVEMENT)
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
430 AM EDT SUN JUL 7 1991

DO NOT USE AFTER 6 AM

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 647 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9AM EDT FOR
   A LARGE PORTION OF WESTERN NEW YORK...

AT 430 AM...BUFFALO RADAR DETECTED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
RAINFALL AND NEARLY CONSTANT LIGHTNING THAT EXTENDED FROM NIAGARA COUNTY
...SOUTH THROUGH CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY AND NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.  THE
STORMS ALSO EXTENDED BACK ACROSS THE NIAGARA PENINSULA OF ONTARIO.

THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS EMBEDDED IN A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS THAT
STRETCHED ACROSS ALL OF LAKE ONTARIO...WESTERN NEW YORK WEST OF THE
GENESEE RIVER...LAKE ERIE AND SOUTHERN ONTARIO AS FAR WEST AS LONDON.

THE ACTIVITY WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED FROM THE VILLAGE OF KENMORE IN NORTHERN
ERIE COUNTY DURING THE PAST HOUR.  THE HEAVY DOWNPOURS ASSOCIATED WITH
THESE STORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING.  IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES...GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY.  LISTEN FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

TAN
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 4:49 AM EDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
NYZ002-071000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORMS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER NY
445 AM EDT SUN JUL 7 1991

...MORE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE TO THE WEST OF
   ROCHESTER AND THE WESTERN FINGER LAKES REGION...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EDT FOR THE
   GREATER ROCHESTER AREA...

AT 440 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THAT
A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS OVER WAYNE COUNTY. OTHER
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN EXTENDED FROM THE BUFFALO AREA
SOUTHWARD INTO PENNSYLVANIA.

THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 40 MPH AND SHOULD MOVE
ACROSS OUR REGION DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

PERSONS IN THE WESTERN FINGER LAKES REGION AND GREATER ROCHESTER SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLE HAIL.

HEAVY RAINS COULD CAUSE SOME DRAINAGE FLOODING. FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS SO OBSERVE
PROPER LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES TO HELP AVOID POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH.

YOU SHOULD KEEP LISTENING FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
FROM YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICTE OFFICE.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

SCHWIBS
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 5:50 AM EDT, 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
530 AM EDT SUN JUL 7 1991

DO NOT USE AFTER 7 AM

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 647 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9AM EDT FOR
   A LARGE PORTION OF WESTERN NEW YORK...

AT 530 AM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTOMS WITH HEAVY
RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING THAT EXTENDED FROM ERIE PENNSYLVANIA
...EAST ACROSS CHAUTAUQUA AND CATTARAUGUS COUNTIES THEN SOUTH TO NEAR
PHILLIPSBURG PENNSYLVANIA.  THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED JUST EAST OF
ERIE.

SHOWERS CONTINUED OVER ALL OF LAKE ONTARIO WITH A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
EMBEDDED IN THE AREA OVER LEWIS COUNTY...ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTH OF
WATERTOWN.

ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 40 MILES WIDE SOUTHERN
ONTARIO FROM LONDON TO KITHCENER...AS WELL AS CENTRAL LAKE ERIE.

THE ACTIVITY WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

TAN
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 6:02 AM EDT, 13 minutes before
NYZ002-071100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORMS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER NY
600 AM EDT SUN JUL 7 1991

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS
   ROCHESTER AND THE WESTERN FINGER LAKES REGION...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EDT FOR THE
   GREATER ROCHESTER AREA...

AT 550 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THAT
AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN...EXTENDED
FROM ROCHESTER SOUTHWARD ALONG THE GENESEE VALLEY. THIS AREA OF
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED WEST ACROSS THE BUFFALO AREA AND INTO NEARBY
SOUTHERN ONTARIO PROVINCE. IN THE WESTERN FINGER LAKES REGION...THE
STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM APPEARED TO BE OVER SOUTHERN LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 40 MPH AND WILL CONTINUE
TO MOVE ACROSS OUR REGION DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
YOU SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING VERY HEAVY
RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLE HAIL.

HEAVY RAINS COULD CAUSE SOME DRAINAGE FLOODING.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
STORMS SO OBSERVE PROPER LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES TO HELP AVOID POSSIBLE
INJURY OR DEATH!

YOU SHOULD KEEP LISTENING FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
FROM YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

SCHWIBS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 7, 5:53 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFChautauqua67 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in New York, 1991Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1991

Sources

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