Alert archive / New York / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 12, NWS Albany, NY
NWS Albany, NY issued this tornado warning at May 31, 1998, 7:03 PM EDT for Greene County, New York. It was in force for 57 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
- May 31, 1998, 7:03 PM EDT (23:03 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 1998, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 57 min
- Issued by
- NWS Albany, NY
- Area
- Whole counties
County Greene County, NY
The radar
The Albany radar (KENX), 35 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:06 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 7:33 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Greenville, NY | |
| May 31, 7:40 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | New Baltimore, NY | |
| May 31, 7:45 PM EDT | Hail 0.75 | Catskill, 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 3:00 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 52 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1673 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 188 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 264 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.4
The text
The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.
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
Local storm report, May 31, 6:35 PM EDT, 28 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
635 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE.
0450 PM SCHAGHTICOKE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 RENSSELAER TREES DOWN...SIGNS
BENT...TRAILERS FLIPPED
OVER...DEBRIS ON RTE 40
AND 67
0510 PM CHATHAM NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
0510 PM KINDERHOOK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE DOWN ON RESIDENCE.
0510 PM STUYVESANT NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE ACROSS CONRAIL
TRACKS.
0510 PM CHATHAM NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 COLUMBIA DIME SIZE HAIL.
0545 PM PITTSFIELD MA 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 BERKSHIRELocal storm report, May 31, 6:35 PM EDT, 28 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
635 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE.
0450 PM SCHAGHTICOKE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 RENSSELAER TREES DOWN...SIGNS
BENT...TRAILERS FLIPPED
OVER...DEBRIS ON RTE 40
AND 67
0510 PM CHATHAM NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
0510 PM KINDERHOOK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE DOWN ON RESIDENCE.
0510 PM STUYVESANT NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE ACROSS CONRAIL
TRACKS.
0510 PM CHATHAM NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 COLUMBIA DIME SIZE HAIL.
0545 PM PITTSFIELD MA 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 BERKSHIRELocal storm report, May 31, 6:45 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP E
0645PM SUN MAY 31 1998
EASO WLSR QHQT QTRF APTS WAPT
01603 FILE 28 SENECA CO SO NY0490000 MAY 31-98
TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
COPY SEMO DUTY OFFICER
THUNDERSTORM/HIGH WIND REPORT
COUNTY(S) AFFECTED: SENECA COUNTY
LOCATION (INCLUDING TOWN AND NEAREST ROAD): VILLAGE OF WATERLOO
DATE AND TIME CONDITION STARTED: 1807
EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR AREAS IN DANGER: EXTENSIVE!
CHECK ONE:
HAIL SIZE REPORTED
( ) - NO HAIL REPORTED ( ) - 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" (TEA CUP)
( ) - 4.00" (GRAPEFRUIT) ( ) - 4.50" (SOFTBALL)
NUMBER KILLED: 0 NUMBER INJURED: 0
CHECK ONE OR MORE AS APPLICABLE:
LIGHTNING REPORTED AS (X) - CLOUD TO CLOUD (X) - CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING DAMAGE TO: (X) - TREES
(X) - POWER/TELCO POLES (X) - POWER/TELCO LINES
(X) - COMM. BUILDINGS (X) - PRIVATE HOMES
(X) - OUT/FARM BUILDINGS (X) - CROPS
NUMBER KILLED: 0 NUMBER INJURED: 0
CHECK ONE OR MORE AS APPLICABLE:
HIGH WIND/T'STORM WIND DAMAGE (X) - CROPS
(X) - SMALL TREES/SHRUBS (X) - LARGE TREES
(X) - COMM. BUILDINGS (X) - PRIVATE HOMES
(X) - OUT/FARM BUILDINGS (X) - POWER/TELCO POLES
(X) - POWER/TELCO LINES
RELIABLE WIND SPEED REPORTS: 00 MPH OR 00 KNOTS
NUMBER KILLED: 00 NUMBER INJURED: 00
FLOODING (IF EXTENSIVE, SEND SEPARATE FLOOD MESSAGE FROM MENU)
(X) - STORM SEWER OVERFLOWS, UNDERPASSES, STREET FLOODING
(X) - LOCAL SMALL CREEKS OVERFLOWING
(X) - STREAMS AND LARGE CREEKS FLOODING (COMPLETE REMARKS W/DAMAGE
REMARKS: THE VILLAGE OF WATERLOO IS IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY
AUTH PHONE #: 315 539-2022
AUTH SHERIFF THOMAS H FOX LEONARD
OPER - SMITH, TONI F 1844Local storm report, May 31, 6:53 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP G
0652PM SUN MAY 31 1998
GBET WLSR QHQT QTRF APTS WAPT
01329 FILE 28 PD TOWN BETHLEHEM NY0015100 MAY 31-98
TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
COPY SEMO DUTY OFFICER
THUNDERSTORM/HIGH WIND REPORT
COUNTY(S) AFFECTED: ALBANY COUNTY
LOCATION (INCLUDING TOWN AND NEAREST ROAD): TOWN OF BETHLEHEM THE ENTIRE TOWN
DATE AND TIME CONDITION STARTED: 1648
EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR AREAS IN DANGER: SEVERE DAMAGE ALL OVER THE TOWN INCLUDING
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AND WIRES DOWN IN THE AREA NUMEROUS TOWN AND STATE ROADS
CLOSED
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" (TEA CUP)
( ) - 4.00" (GRAPEFRUIT) ( ) - 4.50" (SOFTBALL)
NUMBER KILLED: 0 NUMBER INJURED: 0
CHECK ONE OR MORE AS APPLICABLE:NONE REPORTED
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: 0 NUMBER INJURED: 0
CHECK ONE OR MORE AS APPLICABLE:
HIGH WIND/T'STORM WIND DAMAGE ( ) - CROPS
(X) - SMALL TREES/SHRUBS (X) - LARGE TREES
(X) - COMM. BUILDINGS (X) - PRIVATE HOMES
(X) - OUT/FARM BUILDINGS (X) - POWER/TELCO POLES
(X) - POWER/TELCO LINES
RELIABLE WIND SPEED REPORTS: UNK MPH OR UNKKNOTS
NUMBER KILLED: 0 NUMBER INJURED: 0
FLOODING (IF EXTENSIVE, SEND SEPARATE FLOOD MESSAGE FROM MENU)
(X) - STORM SEWER OVERFLOWS, UNDERPASSES, STREET FLOODING
( ) - LOCAL SMALL CREEKS OVERFLOWING
( ) - STREAMS AND LARGE CREEKS FLOODING (COMPLETE REMARKS W/DAMAGE
REMARKS: THE TOWN EXPERIENCED SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM 1648 HOURS TODAYS
DATE TO APPROXIMATELY 1800 HOURS NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED LARGE TREES DOWN ALL
OVER THE TOWN HEAVY RA
IN CONDITIONS DURING THE ABOVE HOURS NO LIGHTNING WAS
SEEN
AUTH PHONE #: 518 439-9973
AUTH VANDERBILT,RICHARD LIEUTENANT
OPER - HORNICK,ADAM N 1852Local storm report, May 31, 6:55 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
655 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0342 PM FONDA NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 MONTGOMERY TREE DOWN.
0415 PM MILTON CENTER NY 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 SARATOGA 1 INCH HAIL IN MILTON.
0416 PM MECHANICVILLE NY 60 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/98 SARATOGA 60 MPH ESTIMATED WIND
GUST.
0420 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE.
0420 PM SARATOGA SPGS NY 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 SARATOGA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL.
0425 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA 3 HOMES DESTROYED.
0435 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA *** 10 INJ ***
EXTENSIVE STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE AND 10 TO 15
INJURIES...SOME SERIOUS.
0440 PM ALBANY ARPT NY 82 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/98 ALBANY 82 MPH WIND GUST.
0450 PM SCHAGHTICOKE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 RENSSELAER TREES DOWN...SIGNS
BENT...TRAILERS FLIPPED
OVER...DEBRIS ON RTE 40
AND 67
0450 PM COLONIE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ALBANY TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN.
0510 PM CHATHAM NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
0510 PM KINDERHOOK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE DOWN ON RESIDENCE.
0510 PM STUYVESANT NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE ACROSS CONRAIL
TRACKS.
0510 PM CHATHAM NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 COLUMBIA DIME SIZE HAIL.
0545 PM PITTSFIELD MA 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 BERKSHIRE
0630 PM CLARKSVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ALBANY TREE DOWN ON ROAD.
0640 PM NEW SCOTLAND NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ALBANY TREE DOWN ON NEW SCOTLAND
ROAD.
0647 PM BREAKABEEN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SCHOHARIE TREES DOWN.Local storm report, May 31, 6:55 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
655 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0342 PM FONDA NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 MONTGOMERY TREE DOWN.
0415 PM MILTON CENTER NY 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 SARATOGA 1 INCH HAIL IN MILTON.
0416 PM MECHANICVILLE NY 60 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/98 SARATOGA 60 MPH ESTIMATED WIND
GUST.
0420 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE.
0420 PM SARATOGA SPGS NY 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 SARATOGA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL.
0425 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA 3 HOMES DESTROYED.
0435 PM STILLWATER NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SARATOGA *** 10 INJ ***
EXTENSIVE STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE AND 10 TO 15
INJURIES...SOME SERIOUS.
0440 PM ALBANY ARPT NY 82 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/98 ALBANY 82 MPH WIND GUST.
0450 PM SCHAGHTICOKE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 RENSSELAER TREES DOWN...SIGNS
BENT...TRAILERS FLIPPED
OVER...DEBRIS ON RTE 40
AND 67
0450 PM COLONIE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ALBANY TREES AND POWER LINES
DOWN.
0510 PM CHATHAM NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
0510 PM KINDERHOOK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE DOWN ON RESIDENCE.
0510 PM STUYVESANT NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COLUMBIA TREE ACROSS CONRAIL
TRACKS.
0510 PM CHATHAM NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 COLUMBIA DIME SIZE HAIL.
0545 PM PITTSFIELD MA 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 BERKSHIRE
0630 PM CLARKSVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ALBANY TREE DOWN ON ROAD.
0640 PM NEW SCOTLAND NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ALBANY TREE DOWN ON NEW SCOTLAND
ROAD.
0647 PM BREAKABEEN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 SCHOHARIE TREES DOWN.The office that day
Everything else NWS Albany, NY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 1:03 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ALY | Hamilton, Herkimer | 72 min |
| May 31, 3:09 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ALY | Herkimer | 61 min |
| May 31, 3:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ALY | Montgomery | 62 min |
| May 31, 3:24 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Montgomery | 61 min |
| May 31, 3:29 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Fulton, Herkimer | 61 min |
| May 31, 3:33 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Montgomery | 52 min |
| May 31, 3:43 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Saratoga | 62 min |
| May 31, 4:16 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Washington | 74 min |
| May 31, 4:30 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Rensselaer | 50 min |
| May 31, 4:35 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Albany, Schenectady, Schoharie | 55 min |
| May 31, 4:43 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ALY | Saratoga | 32 min |
| May 31, 4:57 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ALY | Greene | 78 min |
| May 31, 5:16 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Columbia, Rensselaer | 74 min |
| May 31, 6:17 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery | 63 min |
| May 31, 6:29 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Schoharie | 46 min |
| May 31, 6:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ALY | Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady | 60 min |
| May 31, 7:06 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Rensselaer | 59 min |
| May 31, 7:10 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Washington | 60 min |
| May 31, 7:10 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Albany, Schoharie | 55 min |
| May 31, 7:19 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Ulster | 56 min |
| May 31, 7:32 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Columbia | 73 min |
| May 31, 7:50 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Greene | 45 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in New York, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes in 1998
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.