Alert archive / New York / Tornado Warnings in 2017

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Buffalo, NY

July 20, 2017Cattaraugus County, Erie County, Wyoming County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this tornado warning at Jul 20, 2017, 12:36 PM EDT for Cattaraugus County, Erie County, Wyoming County, New York. It was in force for 24 min. 10 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 20, 2017, 12:36 PM EDT (16:36 UTC)
Expired
Jul 20, 2017, 1:00 PM EDT
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Cattaraugus County, NY, Erie County, NY, Wyoming County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:37 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 20, 12:39 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG3 Wnw West Falls, NYPHOTOS OF EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE AT CHESTNUT RIDGE PARK VIA COUNTY EXEC. TREES SNAPPED/BLOWN OVER.
Jul 20, 12:39 PM EDTTORNADO4 E Hamburg, NYSTORM SURVEY CONFIRMED EF2 TORNADO. DAMAGE TO THE HAMBURG FAIRGROUNDS AND CHESTNUT RIDGE PARK. NO DIRECT INJURIES.
Jul 20, 12:40 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 Nw West Falls, NYTREES DOWN ON GARTMAN RD BETWEEN 277 AND SCHERFF
Jul 20, 12:42 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Wnw West Falls, NYTREE AND WIRES DOWN ON BEHM RD BETWEEN COLE RD AND RTE. 240.
Jul 20, 12:52 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 Nnw Holland, NYRTE 16 CLOSED BETWEEN PARTRIDGE AND BLANCHARD RD. DUE TO DEBRIS IN ROAD.
Jul 20, 12:53 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG3 S South Wales, NYTREES DOWN AND LARGE PARTY TENT DESTROYED.
Jul 20, 12:53 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGHolland, NYPHOTOS OF TREES ON POWERLINES IN HOLLAND BY ERIE COUNTY SHERIFF. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
Jul 20, 12:56 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 Ene Holland, NYTREES DOWN AT VERMONT ST. AND VERMONT HILL RD.
Jul 20, 12:56 PM EDTTORNADO1 Nnw Holland, NYSTORM SURVEY CONFIRMED EF1 TORNADO. SEVERAL STRUCTURES DAMAGED AND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TREE DAMAGE. TRACKS OF THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY WERE BLOCKED BY LARGE TREES IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. NO DIRECT INJURIES.
Jul 20, 1:01 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG3 Se Holland, NYTREES DOWN ON S. PROTECTION RD NEAR VERMONT HILL.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 29 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 2017-07-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 2017-07-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 122 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2004 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
122 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
131 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

161 
WFUS51 KBUF 201636
TORBUF
NYC009-029-121-201700-
/O.NEW.KBUF.TO.W.0001.170720T1636Z-170720T1700Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1236 PM EDT THU JUL 20 2017

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Wyoming County in western New York...
  Northeastern Cattaraugus County in western New York...
  Southeastern Erie County in western New York...

* Until 100 PM EDT.

* At 1236 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located over Hamburg, moving east at 40 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado. 

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely. 

* Locations impacted include...
  West Seneca, Lackawanna, Hamburg, East Aurora, Boston, Eden, Colden
  and Orchard Park.

This includes Interstate 90 between exits 57 and 56.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4266 7891 4283 7883 4272 7824 4247 7837
TIME...MOT...LOC 1636Z 289DEG 33KT 4273 7878 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

Mitchell
2 follow-up statements
150 
WWUS51 KBUF 201646
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1246 PM EDT THU JUL 20 2017

NYC009-029-121-201700-
/O.CON.KBUF.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170720T1700Z/
Wyoming NY-Cattaraugus NY-Erie NY-
1246 PM EDT THU JUL 20 2017

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING...NORTHEASTERN CATTARAUGUS AND SOUTHEASTERN ERIE
COUNTIES...
    
At 1245 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Colden, or near East Aurora, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado. 

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely. 

Locations impacted include...
East Aurora, Boston, Colden, Arcade, Wales Center, Chaffee,
Billington Heights and Yorkshire.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4264 7877 4280 7865 4272 7824 4247 7837
TIME...MOT...LOC 1645Z 289DEG 33KT 4270 7866 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

Mitchell
295 
WWUS51 KBUF 201657
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
1257 PM EDT THU JUL 20 2017

NYC009-029-121-201705-
/O.EXP.KBUF.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170720T1700Z/
Wyoming NY-Cattaraugus NY-Erie NY-
1257 PM EDT THU JUL 20 2017

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING...NORTHEASTERN
CATTARAUGUS AND SOUTHEASTERN ERIE COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 100 PM
EDT...
    
The Tornado Warning that was previously in effect has been reissued 
for Wyoming...Cattaraugus...Erie...and Allegany counties and is in 
effect until 130 PM. Please refer to that bulletin for the latest 
severe weather information.

LAT...LON 4264 7877 4280 7865 4272 7824 4247 7837
TIME...MOT...LOC 1655Z 289DEG 33KT 4268 7857 

$$

Apffel

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 20, 11:44 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF31 min
Jul 20, 11:47 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBUFGenesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming58 min
Jul 20, 12:11 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF34 min
Jul 20, 12:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFErie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario and 2 more54 min
Jul 20, 12:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Niagara and 1 more59 min
Jul 20, 12:55 PM EDTTornado WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming35 min
Jul 20, 1:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus, Wyoming52 min
Jul 20, 1:35 PM EDTTornado WarningBUFAllegany40 min
Jul 20, 1:44 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBUFErie31 min
Jul 20, 2:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus, Erie, Wyoming38 min
Jul 20, 2:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFAllegany59 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in New York, 2017Every tornado warning in 2017Tornadoes in 2017

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.