Alert archive / New York / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 21, NWS Buffalo, NY

April 15, 20264 counties in New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 15, 2026, 7:06 PM EDT for 4 counties in New York. It was in force for 54 min. 6 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
Apr 15, 2026, 7:06 PM EDT (23:06 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Cattaraugus County, NY, Chautauqua County, NY, Erie County, NY, Niagara County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:07 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
Apr 15, 7:38 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGCherry Creek, NYReports of several trees, power lines and power poles downed across Cherry Creek.
Apr 15, 7:41 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGLeon, NYTrees and wires downed in Leon.
Apr 15, 7:47 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGCattaraugus, NYSeveral reports of trees and wires downed in Cattaraugus.
Apr 15, 7:50 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGNew Albion, NYSeveral reports of trees and wires downed in New Albion.
Apr 15, 8:07 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGDelevan, NYSeveral reports of trees and wires downed in Delevan.
Apr 15, 8:09 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Sw Lime Lake-Machias, NYSeveral reports of trees and wires downed in Machias.

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, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 46 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 2026-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2026-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 299 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-104 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
793 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
64 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
299 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
314 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

237 
WUUS51 KBUF 152306
SVRBUF
NYC009-013-029-063-160000-
/O.NEW.KBUF.SV.W.0021.260415T2306Z-260416T0000Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
706 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Cattaraugus County in western New York...
  Erie County in western New York...
  Southern Niagara County in western New York...
  Chautauqua County in western New York...

* Until 800 PM EDT.

* At 705 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from 29 miles southwest of Niagara Falls to 12 miles
  northwest of Lake Erie State Park to near North East, moving east
  at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage 
           to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Buffalo, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, North Tonawanda, Jamestown,
  Clarence, Lackawanna, Kenmore, Depew, and Amherst.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 90 between exits 49 and 61.
 Interstate 86 between exits 4 and 21.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

Large hail, damaging wind, and continuous cloud to ground lightning
are occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately. Lightning
is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4227 7976 4228 7973 4231 7977 4244 7950
      4253 7939 4260 7919 4272 7909 4280 7892
      4292 7890 4299 7901 4307 7901 4307 7904
      4316 7847 4287 7846 4278 7849 4278 7846
      4252 7846 4252 7842 4200 7875 4200 7976
TIME...MOT...LOC 2305Z 260DEG 40KT 4288 7956 4255 7961 4226 7992 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Welch
2 follow-up statements
162 
WWUS51 KBUF 152343
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
743 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

NYC009-013-029-063-160000-
/O.CON.KBUF.SV.W.0021.000000T0000Z-260416T0000Z/
Cattaraugus NY-Erie NY-Niagara NY-Chautauqua NY-
743 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT
FOR CATTARAUGUS...ERIE...SOUTHERN NIAGARA AND CHAUTAUQUA COUNTIES...

At 742 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from Woodlawn Beach State Park to Gowanda to near Falconer,
moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...
Buffalo, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, North Tonawanda, Jamestown,
Clarence, Lackawanna, Kenmore, Depew, and Amherst.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 90 between exits 49 and 58.
 Interstate 86 between exits 7 and 21.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4224 7938 4272 7909 4280 7892 4292 7890
      4296 7893 4299 7901 4307 7901 4307 7904
      4316 7847 4287 7846 4287 7849 4278 7849
      4278 7846 4252 7846 4252 7842 4200 7875
      4200 7976
TIME...MOT...LOC 2342Z 275DEG 41KT 4278 7887 4245 7892 4216 7923 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Lupo
580 
WWUS51 KBUF 160001
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
801 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

NYC009-013-029-063-160008-
/O.EXP.KBUF.SV.W.0021.000000T0000Z-260416T0000Z/
Cattaraugus NY-Erie NY-Niagara NY-Chautauqua NY-
801 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CATTARAUGUS...ERIE...SOUTHERN
NIAGARA AND CHAUTAUQUA COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 800 PM EDT...

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for 
Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties until 9 PM.

&&

LAT...LON 4224 7938 4272 7909 4280 7892 4292 7890
      4296 7893 4299 7901 4307 7901 4307 7904
      4316 7847 4287 7846 4287 7849 4278 7849
      4278 7846 4252 7846 4252 7842 4200 7875
      4200 7976
TIME...MOT...LOC 2358Z 260DEG 40KT 4280 7870 4247 7875 4218 7906 

$$

Lupo

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 15, 4:47 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF70 min
Apr 15, 5:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus43 min
Apr 15, 6:46 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF89 min
Apr 15, 7:16 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF39 min
Apr 15, 7:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Livingston, Wyoming63 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in New York, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

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.