Alert archive / New York / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1993

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 25, NWS Buffalo, NY

August 20, 1993Erie County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 20, 1993, 4:30 PM EDT for Erie County, New York. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 20, 1993, 4:30 PM EDT (20:30 UTC)
Expired
Aug 20, 1993, 5:30 PM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Whole counties

County Erie County, NY

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 20 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 12:00Z on 1993-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 311 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 1993-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 163 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
311 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
584 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
163 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
199 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBUF 202037 RRA
SVRBUF
NYC029-202130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
430 PM EDT FRI AUG 20 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BUFFALO HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN  NEW YORK
 
   ...ERIE COUNTY
 
AND ADJACENT WATERS OF THE GREAT LAKES
 
 
AT 435PM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER LAKE ERIE ABOUT 10 MILES
NORTHWEST OF BUFFALO. IT WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
ERIE COUNTY BETWEEN 445PM AND 530PM. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE TORRENTIAL
RAIN...STRONG WINDS AND POSSIBLE HAIL. THE STORM MAY MOVE OVER THE ERIE
COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS...AND FAIRGOERS SHOULD GET INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING
AND STAY AWAY FROM METAL RIDES AND EXHIBITS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
 
 
BE ON THE ALERT FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY FREQUENT
LIGHTNING...STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.  LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN MAY ALSO CAUSE DRAINAGE FLOODING.
RDM

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, Aug 20, 3:25 PM EDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
NYZ002-202030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...THUNDERSTORM
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER NY
324 PM EDT FRI AUG 20 1993

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING ACROSS MONROE AND
   WAYNE COUNTIES...

AT 323 PM RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL FROM NEAR NINE MILE POINT
IN NORTHEAST MONROE COUNTY BACK TO THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST ACROSS ROCHESTER
ON BACK TO THE CHURCHVILLE AREA IN WESTERN MONROE COUNTY.  THIS LINE OF STORMS
PRODUCED NEARLY HALF AN INCH OF RAIN WITHIN 10 MINUTES IN IRONDEQUIOT AS WELL
AS 35 MPH WINDS AT THE ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST AT F35 MPH AND WILL AFFECT MONROE...
WAYNE...NORTHERN LIVINGSTON...AND NORTHERN ONTARIO COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT
HOUR.

BASIL
Special weather statement, Aug 20, 3:39 PM EDT, 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
339 PM EDT FRI AUG 20 1993

DO NOT USE AFTER 5PM...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8PM...

AT 335 PM...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER WESTERN
AND CENTRAL NEW YORK...SOUTHERN ONTARIO...AND ADJOINING PARTS OF LAKES
ERIE AND ONTARIO. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS COVERED MUCH OF WAYNE...MONROE...
GENESEE AND NORTHERN NIAGARA COUNTIES OF NEW YORK. THESE STORMS WILL
PRODUCE STRONG WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINS AND POSSIBLY HAIL AS THEY MOVE
TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

HEAVY RAINS MAY PRODUCE LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. IF YOU SEE A FLOODED ROAD...DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. SLOW DOWN IF YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY...
WATER ON THE ROADWAY CAN CAUSE HYDROPLANING.

DEG/RDM
Special weather statement, Aug 20, 3:40 PM EDT, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
339 PM EDT FRI AUG 20 1993

DO NOT USE AFTER 5PM...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8PM...

AT 335 PM...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER WESTERN
AND CENTRAL NEW YORK...SOUTHERN ONTARIO...AND ADJOINING PARTS OF LAKES
ERIE AND ONTARIO. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS COVERED MUCH OF WAYNE...MONROE...
GENESEE AND NORTHERN NIAGARA COUNTIES OF NEW YORK. THESE STORMS WILL
PRODUCE STRONG WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINS AND POSSIBLY HAIL AS THEY MOVE
TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

HEAVY RAINS MAY PRODUCE LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. IF YOU SEE A FLOODED ROAD...DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. SLOW DOWN IF YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY...
WATER ON THE ROADWAY CAN CAUSE HYDROPLANING.

DEG/RDM
Special weather statement, Aug 20, 4:05 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
NYZ001-021-022-002-003-004-005-202100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
405 PM EDT FRI AUG 20 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND
CENTRAL NEW YORK UNTIL 8:00 PM...

AT 400 PM...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN
NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN ONTARIO.

THE MOST CONCENTRATED ACTIVITY CONTINUED TRAINING ACROSS BUFFALO AND ITS
NORTHERN SUBURBS AND WAS REDEVELOPING OVER THE NIAGARA PENINSULA.
TORRENTIAL RAINS HAVE OCCURRED OVER PARTS OF THE BUFFALO AREA WITH WELL
OVER AN INCH AND A HALF BEING REPORTED AT THE BUFFALO AIRPORT SINCE 1 PM.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL WERE OVER AMHERST IN ERIE
COUNTY...OVER MEDINA IN ORLEANS COUNTY AND NEAR NEWARK IN WAYNE COUNTY.

THE ACTIVITY WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED
TO TAKE SHELTER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

THE GREATEST HAZARD FROM THESE STORMS APPEARES TO BE THE TORRENTIAL
RAINS...KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FLOODED UNDERSPASSES AND POOR DRAINAGE
FLOODING. THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL STORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE
BUFFALO METRO AREA FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.

MCLAUGHLIN
Special weather statement, Aug 20, 4:13 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
NYZ001-021-022-002-003-004-005-202100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
405 PM EDT FRI AUG 20 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF WESTERN AND
CENTRAL NEW YORK UNTIL 8:00 PM...

AT 400 PM...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN
NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN ONTARIO.

THE MOST CONCENTRATED ACTIVITY CONTINUED TRAINING ACROSS BUFFALO AND ITS
NORTHERN SUBURBS AND WAS REDEVELOPING OVER THE NIAGARA PENINSULA.
TORRENTIAL RAINS HAVE OCCURRED OVER PARTS OF THE BUFFALO AREA WITH WELL
OVER AN INCH AND A HALF BEING REPORTED AT THE BUFFALO AIRPORT SINCE 1 PM.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL WERE OVER AMHERST IN ERIE
COUNTY...OVER MEDINA IN ORLEANS COUNTY AND NEAR NEWARK IN WAYNE COUNTY.

THE ACTIVITY WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED
TO TAKE SHELTER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

THE GREATEST HAZARD FROM THESE STORMS APPEARES TO BE THE TORRENTIAL
RAINS...KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FLOODED UNDERSPASSES AND POOR DRAINAGE
FLOODING. THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL STORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE
BUFFALO METRO AREA FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.

MCLAUGHLIN
Special weather statement, Aug 20, 4:30 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
NYZ002-202130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...THUNDERSTORM
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER NY
428 PM EDT FRI AUG 20 1993

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS THE WESTERN FINGER LAKES AREA...

AT 417 PM RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL FROM EXTREME SOUTHEAST
WAYNE COUNTY AND NORTHERN SENECA COUNTY BACK TO THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST OVER
ONTARIO AND SOUTHERN LIVINGSTON COUNTIES.  ANOTHER CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS
WAS OVER GENESSE COUNTY AND APPROACHING SOUTHWESTERN MONROE AND NORTHERN
LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM.  SOME THUNDERSTORMS
MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS OF OVER 55 MPH ALONG WITH DAMAGING HAIL.  THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH.

BASIL

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in New York, 1993Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1993

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.