Alert archive / New York / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Binghamton, NY
NWS Binghamton, NY issued this tornado warning at May 31, 1998, 4:08 PM EDT for Chemung County, Steuben County, New York. It was in force for 62 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, 4:08 PM EDT (20:08 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 1998, 5:10 PM EDT
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS Binghamton, NY
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Chemung County, NY, Steuben County, NY
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 4:20 PM EDT | Hail 1.75 | Hornell, NY | A severe thunderstorm moving across the county produced large hail ranging from 3/4 to 1 3/4 inches in diameter in Hornell, Addison, and Andover between 4:20 and 4:27 pm EDT. Several automobiles had cracked or smashed windows from the falling hailstones near |
| May 31, 4:40 PM EDT | Hail 1.5 | Elmira Hgts, NY | A severe thunderstorm dumped large hail from the Elmira/Elmira Heights vicinity eastward to near Breesport. Hailstones approaching golf ball size severely dented cars in a used automobile lot and cracked a few windshields. |
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 |
| May 31, 3:30 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 271 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.
939 WFUS1 KBGM 312009 RRA TORBGM NYC015-101-312110- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 408 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... CHEMUNG COUNTY IN CENTRAL NEW YORK CENTRAL AND EASTERN STEUBEN COUNTY IN CENTRAL NEW YORK * UNTIL 510 PM EDT * AT 405 PM EDT ... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO IN CENTRAL STEUBEN COUNTY... MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. * THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR... CORNING AT 420 PM EDT HORSEHEADS AT 430 PM EDT ELMIRA AT 445 PM EDT GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR TOWNSEND
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.
NWS Binghamton, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 31, 2:11 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 31, 2:11 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 211 PM SUN MAY 31 1998 ACTIVE CONVECTION HAS MOVED ACROSS N NY THIS AFTERNOON AND IS BEGINNING TO DIE OUT SOMEWHAT AS IT EXITS STAGE RIGHT. NEXT ROUND OF ACTIVITY IS MOVING ACROSS WESTERN NY. ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AS IT MOVES INTO THE MORE UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVR THE FA. THIS AREA WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED THIS AFTERNOON AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF ANOTHER WATCH IS ISSUED FURTHER SOUTH ALONG THE SOUTHERN TIER OF NY AND NE PA. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS MASSIVE STORMS OVR W NY AND NW PA MOVING DUE E TOWARD THE FA. MODELS SHOW A VORT LOBE ROT THROUGH THE FA THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AND WILL CONTINUE TO AID IN SUPPORTING SEVERE CONVECTION. LATER IN THE PERIOD TONIGHT...NVA SPREADS ACROSS THE RGN HELPING TO STABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE. THEN ANOTHER SHOT OF VORTICITY ROT TOWARD THE FA FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. SFC LOW TRACKING ACROSS THE N TIER OF THE NATION AND PRECEEDING THIS SYSTEM WILL BE WAA AND COULD BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SVR WEATHER ON WEDNESDAY AS WAA RETURNS. CDFNT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL ARRIVE WEDNESDAY FOCUSING SEVERE WEATHER. .BGM...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 3 PM FOR NYZ009-015>018-022>025-044. LOMBARDY
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:53 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
NYZ056-024-045-044-057-046-023-022-055-025-017-036-009-037-018-016- 015-062-PAZ038-044-047-048-039-040-043-010000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 253 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: BROOME NY... CHEMUNG NY... CHENANGO NY... CORTLAND NY... DELAWARE NY... OTSEGO NY... SCHUYLER NY... STEUBEN NY... TIOGA NY... TOMPKINS NY... S. CAYUGA NY... MADISON NY... N. ONEIDA NY... S. ONEIDA NY... ONONDAGA NY... SENECA NY... YATES NY... SULLIVAN NY... BRADFORD PA... LACKAWANNA PA... LUZERNE PA... PIKE PA... SUSQUEHANNA PA... WAYNE PA... WYOMING PA... TORNADOS...LARGE DAMAGING HAIL 3/4 OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS 58 MPH OR GREATER AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOS AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. IF YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS...BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. GET TO A SAFE PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE OPEN. STAY OFF THE PHONE AND KEEP AWAY FROM WINDOWS. LIGHTNING IS A KILLER IN THESE STORMS. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES AND GET OUT OF OPEN AREAS. ONCE AGAIN...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT. LOMBARDY
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:53 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
NYZ056-024-045-044-057-046-023-022-055-025-017-036-009-037-018-016- 015-062-PAZ038-044-047-048-039-040-043-010000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 253 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: BROOME NY... CHEMUNG NY... CHENANGO NY... CORTLAND NY... DELAWARE NY... OTSEGO NY... SCHUYLER NY... STEUBEN NY... TIOGA NY... TOMPKINS NY... S. CAYUGA NY... MADISON NY... N. ONEIDA NY... S. ONEIDA NY... ONONDAGA NY... SENECA NY... YATES NY... SULLIVAN NY... BRADFORD PA... LACKAWANNA PA... LUZERNE PA... PIKE PA... SUSQUEHANNA PA... WAYNE PA... WYOMING PA... TORNADOS...LARGE DAMAGING HAIL 3/4 OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS 58 MPH OR GREATER AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOS AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. IF YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS...BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. GET TO A SAFE PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE OPEN. STAY OFF THE PHONE AND KEEP AWAY FROM WINDOWS. LIGHTNING IS A KILLER IN THESE STORMS. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES AND GET OUT OF OPEN AREAS. ONCE AGAIN...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT. LOMBARDY
Local storm report, May 31, 3:55 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NEW YORK
355 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0215 PM HORNELL NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 STEUBEN WIRES DOWN
0215 PM ATLANTA NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 STEUBEN WIRES DOWN
0230 PM CORTLAND NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 CORTLAND MULTIPLE TREES DOWN
0230 PM BALDWINSVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ONONDAGA TREES DOWN
0250 PM POLKVILLE NY .5 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 CORTLAND REPORTED BY SKYWARN
0305 PM MARATHON NY
05/31/98 CORTLAND WALL CLOUD REPORTED BY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
EMPLOYEE 7 MILES EAST OF
MARATHONLocal storm report, May 31, 3:55 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NEW YORK
355 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0215 PM HORNELL NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 STEUBEN WIRES DOWN
0215 PM ATLANTA NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 STEUBEN WIRES DOWN
0230 PM CORTLAND NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 CORTLAND MULTIPLE TREES DOWN
0230 PM BALDWINSVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 ONONDAGA TREES DOWN
0250 PM POLKVILLE NY .5 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 CORTLAND REPORTED BY SKYWARN
0305 PM MARATHON NY
05/31/98 CORTLAND WALL CLOUD REPORTED BY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
EMPLOYEE 7 MILES EAST OF
MARATHONSpecial weather statement, May 31, 3:58 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
NYZ056-024-045-044-057-046-023-022-055-025-017-036-009-037-018-016- 015-062-PAZ038-044-047-048-039-040-043-010200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 358 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED THE TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1000 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: ONONDAGA NY... S. CAYUGA NY... TOMPKINS NY... TIOGA NY... CHEMUNG NY... SCHUYLER NY... YATES NY... STEUBEN NY... TORNADOS...LARGE DAMAGING HAIL 3/4 OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS 58 MPH OR GREATER AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOS AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. IF YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS...BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. GET TO A SAFE PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE OPEN. STAY OFF THE PHONE AND KEEP AWAY FROM WINDOWS. LIGHTNING IS A KILLER IN THESE STORMS. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES AND GET OUT OF OPEN AREAS. ONCE AGAIN...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT. LOMBARDY
Special weather statement, May 31, 3:58 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
NYZ056-024-045-044-057-046-023-022-055-025-017-036-009-037-018-016- 015-062-PAZ038-044-047-048-039-040-043-010200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 358 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED THE TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1000 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: ONONDAGA NY... S. CAYUGA NY... TOMPKINS NY... TIOGA NY... CHEMUNG NY... SCHUYLER NY... YATES NY... STEUBEN NY... TORNADOS...LARGE DAMAGING HAIL 3/4 OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS 58 MPH OR GREATER AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOS AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. IF YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS...BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. GET TO A SAFE PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE OPEN. STAY OFF THE PHONE AND KEEP AWAY FROM WINDOWS. LIGHTNING IS A KILLER IN THESE STORMS. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES AND GET OUT OF OPEN AREAS. ONCE AGAIN...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT. LOMBARDY
The office that day
Everything else NWS Binghamton, NY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 11:48 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Seneca, Yates | 72 min |
| May 31, 11:48 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Cayuga, Onondaga | 72 min |
| May 31, 12:29 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Oneida | 76 min |
| May 31, 1:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Steuben | 63 min |
| May 31, 2:09 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Seneca, Yates | 61 min |
| May 31, 2:16 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Tompkins | 64 min |
| May 31, 2:25 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Cayuga, Cortland, Onondaga | 65 min |
| May 31, 2:28 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Steuben | 62 min |
| May 31, 2:32 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Schuyler | 63 min |
| May 31, 2:36 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Chemung | 64 min |
| May 31, 2:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Chenango, Madison | 63 min |
| May 31, 3:03 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Otsego | 62 min |
| May 31, 3:44 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Chenango | 61 min |
| May 31, 3:55 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Steuben | 65 min |
| May 31, 4:18 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Onondaga | 62 min |
| May 31, 4:26 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Delaware | 49 min |
| May 31, 4:52 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Tioga | 78 min |
| May 31, 4:57 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Cortland | 63 min |
| May 31, 5:04 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Chenango, Madison | 61 min |
| May 31, 5:08 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Steuben | 62 min |
| May 31, 5:23 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Schuyler | 62 min |
| May 31, 5:26 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Broome | 64 min |
| May 31, 5:41 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Chenango | 64 min |
| May 31, 6:04 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Otsego | 61 min |
| May 31, 6:22 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Broome, Delaware | 63 min |
| May 31, 6:32 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Chemung, Tioga | 63 min |
| May 31, 6:48 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Broome | 67 min |
| May 31, 6:54 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BGM | Seneca | 2 hr |
| May 31, 7:10 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BGM | Delaware | 65 min |
| May 31, 7:19 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Sullivan | 61 min |
| May 31, 7:39 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Chemung, Tioga | 61 min |
| May 31, 7:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BGM | Broome | 78 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.