Alert archive / New York / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 6, NWS Albany, NY
NWS Albany, NY issued this tornado warning at May 31, 1998, 4:30 PM EDT for Rensselaer County, New York. It was in force for 50 min. 2 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, 4:30 PM EDT (20:30 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 1998, 5:20 PM EDT
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS Albany, NY
- Area
- Whole counties
County Rensselaer County, NY
The radar
The Albany radar (KENX), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:33 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, 5:00 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Brunswick, NY | |
| May 31, 5:05 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | East Greenbush, 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, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 26 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
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
038 WFUS1 KALB 310005 TORALB NYC083-312120- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 430 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHERN RENSSELAER COUNTY IN EASTERN NEW YORK * UNTIL 520 PM EDT * AT 430 PM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATE AND STORM SPOTTERS REPORT A TORNADO IS JUST EAST OF ROUND LAKE ... MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. THIS TORNADO WILL MOVE ACROSS THE EXTREME NORTHERN RENSSELAER COUNTY NEAR SCHAGHTICOKE AND ALONG ROUTE 67. A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND GO TO THE BASEMENT IF A BASEMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR BLAES/KL /NWSFO ALY
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, May 31, 12:00 PM EDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
CTZ001-MAZ001-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-VTZ013- 014-312000- BULLETIN SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1200 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THIS EVENING... ...THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION... A TORNADO WATCH HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR HERKIMER...HAMILTON... WARREN...WASHINGTON...SARATOGA...FULTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM. ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED COVERING MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS OF GREATER THAN 60 MILES AN HOUR ARE LIKELY IN MANY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING WIND DAMAGE AND TORNADOES ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GREAT LAKE STATES. HEAVY RAIN AND SOME HAIL ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...BUT THE PRIMARY THREAT IS FROM DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. AT MIDDAY...A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALREADY MOVING RAPIDLY EAST ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK FROM WATERTOWN SOUTH TO NEAR SYRACUSE TO JUST NORTH OF ELMIRA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH THE EASTERN MOHAWK VALLEY AND ADIRONDACKS BETWEEN 100 AND 230 PM. THE LINE WILL THEN REACH THE CATSKILLS...HUDSON VALLEY...CAPITAL DISTRICT AND LAKE GEORGE-SARATOGA REGION BETWEEN 130 AND 400 PM BEFORE MOVING INTO EXTREME WESTERN NEW ENGLAND AFTER 230 PM. MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN DURING THE EVENING. KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY TODAY. IF YOU HAVE OUTDOOR PLANS KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST FORECASTS AND WEATHER INFORMATION. BE READY TO TAKE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RADIO AND NEWS STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE DETAILS. BLAES /NWSFO ALY
Special weather statement, May 31, 12:00 PM EDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
CTZ001-MAZ001-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-VTZ013- 014-312000- BULLETIN SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1200 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THIS EVENING... ...THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION... A TORNADO WATCH HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR HERKIMER...HAMILTON... WARREN...WASHINGTON...SARATOGA...FULTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM. ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED COVERING MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS OF GREATER THAN 60 MILES AN HOUR ARE LIKELY IN MANY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING WIND DAMAGE AND TORNADOES ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GREAT LAKE STATES. HEAVY RAIN AND SOME HAIL ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...BUT THE PRIMARY THREAT IS FROM DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. AT MIDDAY...A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALREADY MOVING RAPIDLY EAST ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK FROM WATERTOWN SOUTH TO NEAR SYRACUSE TO JUST NORTH OF ELMIRA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH THE EASTERN MOHAWK VALLEY AND ADIRONDACKS BETWEEN 100 AND 230 PM. THE LINE WILL THEN REACH THE CATSKILLS...HUDSON VALLEY...CAPITAL DISTRICT AND LAKE GEORGE-SARATOGA REGION BETWEEN 130 AND 400 PM BEFORE MOVING INTO EXTREME WESTERN NEW ENGLAND AFTER 230 PM. MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN DURING THE EVENING. KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY TODAY. IF YOU HAVE OUTDOOR PLANS KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST FORECASTS AND WEATHER INFORMATION. BE READY TO TAKE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. SECURE LOOSE OBJECTS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RADIO AND NEWS STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE DETAILS. BLAES /NWSFO ALY
Local storm report, May 31, 2:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP A
0249PM SUN MAY 31 1998
AESO WLSR QHQT QTRF APTS WAPT
00670 FILE 28 SHERIFF OF ERIE COUNTY NY0140000 MAY 31-98
TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
COPY SEMO DUTY OFFICER
THUNDERSTORM/HIGH WIND REPORT
COUNTY(S) AFFECTED: ERIE
LOCATION (INCLUDING TOWN AND NEAREST ROAD): TOWN OF COLLINS/RT 62,RT 438,TAYLOR
HOLLOW,LENOX AND QUAKER ROADS
DATE AND TIME CONDITION STARTED: 5/31/98 12:28 PM
EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR AREAS IN DANGER:
CHECK ONE:
HAIL SIZE REPORTED
(X) - 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 ( ) - CLOUD TO CLOUD (X) - CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING DAMAGE TO: (X) - TREES
( ) - POWER/TELCO POLES (X) - 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 (X) - PRIVATE HOMES
( ) - OUT/FARM BUILDINGS ( ) - 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: STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE
AUTH PHONE #: 716 662-5554
AUTH SHERIFF PATRICK GALLIVAN SCHWEGLER 1447HR
OPER - SCHWEGLER,JAMIE L 1448Local storm report, May 31, 3:29 PM EDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP E
0328PM SUN MAY 31 1998
EASO WLSR QHQT QTRF APTS WAPT
01602 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): TOWNS OF COVERT AND OVID
DATE AND TIME CONDITION STARTED: 1500 HRS
EXTENT OF DAMAGE OR AREAS IN DANGER:
CHECK ONE:
HAIL SIZE REPORTED
(X) - 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 ( ) - CLOUD TO CLOUD (X) - CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING DAMAGE TO: (X) - TREES
(X) - POWER/TELCO POLES (X) - 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 (X) - 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: UNK MPH OR UNKKNOTS
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:
AUTH PHONE #: 315 539-9241
AUTH SHERIFF THOMAS H FOX z LEONARD
OPER - LEONARD,JAMES R 1527The 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, 4:35 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, 7:03 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ALY | Greene | 57 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.