Alert archive / New York / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 55, NWS Albany, NY

July 18, 1997Warren County, New York

NWS Albany, NY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 18, 1997, 5:08 PM EDT for Warren County, New York. It was in force for 67 min. 3 reports 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 18, 1997, 5:08 PM EDT (21:08 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 1997, 6:15 PM EDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Albany, NY
Area
Whole counties

County Warren County, NY

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 18, 5:20 PM EDTThunderstorm WindThurman, NY
Jul 18, 5:20 PM EDTThunderstorm WindChestertown, NY
Jul 18, 5:30 PM EDTThunderstorm WindLake Luzerne, 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 18, 3:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 97 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 1997-07-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 964 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 1997-07-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 27 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
964 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
788 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
27 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KALB 182108 RRA
SVRALB
NYC113-182215-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
508 PM EDT FRI JUL 18 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY NY  HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH NEW YORK
 
   ...WARREN COUNTY
 
AT 505 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING FROM HAMILTON COUNTY INTO WARREN COUNTY. THEY WERE MOVING EAST
SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH. THE STORMS WILL REACH NORTH CREEK TO
HARRISBURG BETWEEN 510 PM AND 530 PM. THEY WILL THEN REACH BRANT LAKE
AND WARRENSBURG BETWEEN 530 AND 545 PM. THEY WILL THEN REACH LAKE GEORGE
BETWEEN FRIENDS POINT AND LAKE GEORGE VILLAGE AROUND 600 PM.
 
 
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERS TORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

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 18, 11:22 AM EDT, 5 hours 46 minutes before
NYZ032-033-038-039-040-041-042-043-047-048-049-050-051-052-053-
054-058>061-063>066-VTZ013-014-MAZ001-CTZ001-182000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1124 AM EDT FRI JUL 18 1997

A RATHER STRONG COLD FRONT FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR WAS MOVING INTO
EXTREME NORTHWESTERN NEW YORK. THIS FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARDLY
AND SWEEP ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BY
TONIGHT.

A RATHER UNSTABLE AIR MASS REMAINS OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. AS THE
FRONT MOVES INTO THIS HUMID AIR MASS...IT WILL LIFT THE MOISTURE INTO
THE AIR IN THE FORM OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. THE HEATING OF THE
AFTERNOON WILL ALSO CREATE MORE INSTABILITY.

ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO FORM THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WIND
LOCALLY UP TO AT LEAST 40 MPH...AND SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS THAT DO
FORM WILL MOVE TO THE EAST BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH.

IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS THIS AFTERNOON...KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY
AND BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER FAST IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
REMEMBER NOT TO BE UNDER TREES OUTSIDE DURING A THUNDERSTORM.

A COOLER DRIER AND MORE STABLE AIR MASS WILL WORK INTO THE REGION BY
THE WEEKEND...WHICH WILL GREATLY MINIMIZE THE THREAT OF ANY MORE
THUNDERSTORMS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER...THE OFFICIAL VOICE THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON.

HWJIV
   R
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 11:24 AM EDT, 5 hours 44 minutes before
NYZ032-033-038-039-040-041-042-043-047-048-049-050-051-052-053-
054-058>061-063>066-VTZ013-014-MAZ001-CTZ001-182000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1124 AM EDT FRI JUL 18 1997

A RATHER STRONG COLD FRONT FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR WAS MOVING INTO
EXTREME NORTHWESTERN NEW YORK. THIS FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARDLY
AND SWEEP ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BY
TONIGHT.

A RATHER UNSTABLE AIR MASS REMAINS OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT. AS THE
FRONT MOVES INTO THIS HUMID AIR MASS...IT WILL LIFT THE MOISTURE INTO
THE AIR IN THE FORM OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. THE HEATING OF THE
AFTERNOON WILL ALSO CREATE MORE INSTABILITY.

ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO FORM THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WIND
LOCALLY UP TO AT LEAST 40 MPH...AND SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS THAT DO
FORM WILL MOVE TO THE EAST BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH.

IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS THIS AFTERNOON...KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY
AND BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER FAST IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
REMEMBER NOT TO BE UNDER TREES OUTSIDE DURING A THUNDERSTORM.

A COOLER DRIER AND MORE STABLE AIR MASS WILL WORK INTO THE REGION BY
THE WEEKEND...WHICH WILL GREATLY MINIMIZE THE THREAT OF ANY MORE
THUNDERSTORMS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER...THE OFFICIAL VOICE THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON.

HWJIV
Local storm report, Jul 18, 3:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP A
0321PM     FRI JUL 18 1997
ASOC WLSR QHQT QTRF APTS WAPT
10380    FILE 28   CATTARAUGUS CO SO  NY0040000              JUL 18-97
TO       NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
         COPY SEMO DUTY OFFICER
                   THUNDERSTORM/HIGH WIND REPORT

COUNTY(S) AFFECTED: CATTARAUGUS

LOCATION (INCLUDING TOWN AND NEAREST ROAD): TOWN OF DAYTON, TOWN OF OTTO, TOWN
OF CARROLLTON RT 17 AREA, HINSDALE,ALLEGANY,OLEAN
DATE AND TIME CONDITION STARTED: 1445
EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR AREAS IN DANGER: TREES DOWN IN THE ABOVE AREAS HIGH WIND
AND HAIL

CHECK ONE:
HAIL SIZE REPORTED
( ) - NO HAIL REPORTED    (X) - LESS THAN 1/2" (PEA)
(X) - 1/2" (MARBLE)       (X) - 1/2" TO 3/4" (PENNY)
(X) - 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" (TEA CUP)
( ) - 4.00" (GRAPEFRUIT)  ( ) - 4.50" (SOFTBALL)
NUMBER KILLED: 0        NUMBER INJURED: 0

CHECK ONE OR MORE AS APPLICABLE:
LIGHTNING REPORTED AS ( ) - CLOUD TO CLOUD  ( ) - CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING DAMAGE TO:            (X) - TREES
( ) - POWER/TELCO POLES   ( ) - POWER/TELCO LINES
( ) - COMM. BUILDINGS     ( ) - PRIVATE HOMES
( ) - OUT/FARM BUILDINGS  ( ) - CROPS
NUMBER KILLED: 0        NUMBER INJURED: 0

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

RELIABLE WIND SPEED REPORTS:     MPH OR    KNOTS
NUMBER KILLED: 0        NUMBER INJURED: 0

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: WIDE SPREAD DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY

AUTH PHONE #: 716 938-9191

AUTH BUCHHARDT,LT           MCVAUGH     1520

OPER - MCVAUGH, TIMOTHY               1520

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 3:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningALYHamilton, Herkimer96 min
Jul 18, 5:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningALYWashington57 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in New York, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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.