Alert archive / New York / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 25, NWS Buffalo, NY

April 16, 2026Lewis County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 16, 2026, 6:26 PM EDT for Lewis County, New York. It was in force for 49 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 16, 2026, 6:26 PM EDT (22:26 UTC)
Expired
Apr 16, 2026, 7:15 PM EDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Lewis County, NY

The radar

The Ft Drum radar (KTYX), 27 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:30 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 165 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, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 2026-04-16Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Albany, NY at 12:00Z on 2026-04-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 21 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
756 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

671 
WUUS51 KBUF 162226
SVRBUF
NYC049-162315-
/O.NEW.KBUF.SV.W.0025.260416T2226Z-260416T2315Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
626 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Southern Lewis County in central New York...

* Until 715 PM EDT.

* At 625 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles east of
  Redfield, or 11 miles north of Camden, moving east at 55 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...
  Whetstone Gulf State Park, Highmarket, Lyonsdale, Greig, Port
  Leyden, Lyons Falls, Constableville, Turin, Osceola, and West
  Leyden.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4342 7553 4347 7576 4364 7577 4382 7514
      4361 7511
TIME...MOT...LOC 2225Z 249DEG 48KT 4350 7567 

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

$$

Mitchell
2 follow-up statements
279 
WWUS51 KBUF 162254
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
654 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

NYC049-162315-
/O.CON.KBUF.SV.W.0025.000000T0000Z-260416T2315Z/
Lewis NY-
654 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT
FOR SOUTHEASTERN LEWIS COUNTY...

At 654 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles west of
McKeever, or 8 miles northeast of Boonville, moving east at 50 mph.

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

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

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

Locations impacted include...
Lyonsdale and Port Leyden.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4352 7530 4360 7536 4372 7513 4361 7511
TIME...MOT...LOC 2254Z 251DEG 42KT 4358 7525 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Mitchell
812 
WWUS51 KBUF 162311
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
711 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

NYC049-162321-
/O.EXP.KBUF.SV.W.0025.000000T0000Z-260416T2315Z/
Lewis NY-
711 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN LEWIS COUNTY WILL
EXPIRE AT 715 PM EDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and has exited the warned area. Therefore, the warning will
be allowed to expire.

&&

LAT...LON 4352 7530 4360 7536 4372 7513 4361 7511
TIME...MOT...LOC 2311Z 249DEG 48KT 4366 7497 

$$

Mitchell

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Buffalo, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 16, 2:29 PM EDT, 3 hours 57 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1) Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and early this evening, with damaging winds as the main hazard. 2) Another round of widespread showers expected with a few possible thunderstorms Saturday into Saturday night. 3) The very warm pattern continues through Saturday before much colder air arrives by early next week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 2:29 PM EDT, 3 hours 57 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
229 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Increased coverage of fog and lower ceilings tonight.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and
early this evening, with damaging winds as the main hazard.

2) Another round of widespread showers expected with a few possible
thunderstorms Saturday into Saturday night.

3) The very warm pattern continues through Saturday before much
colder air arrives by early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this
afternoon and early this evening, with damaging winds as the main
hazard.

Low pressure near the Ontario-Quebec border early this afternoon
will slide east to the Saint Lawrence Valley by this evening...then
on to the Canadian Maritimes tonight. In the process...this feature
will finally sweep the frontal boundary that has been in our
vicinity the past few days southeastward across our area as a cold
front through early this evening...with the boundary then departing
to our southeast tonight and Friday...with the latter finally
allowing for a bit of a break in the active weather for later
tonight and Friday.

Out ahead of the front...some partial sunshine/diurnal warming of
our airmass coupled with sfc dewpoints in the vicinity of 60 has
already allowed for the development of 500-1000 J/kg of MLCAPE
across portions of western/central NY away from the influence of the
lakes...with the greatest instability in our area found
approximately from about the interior of the Southern Tier/Genesee
Valley eastward across the Finger Lakes. Within this latter
region...continued destabilization over the next couple hours should
allow for pockets of moderate instability to develop by mid to late
this afternoon...with weaker/more modest instability expected
further back across extreme far WNY...lowest within the area
currently shadowed by Lake Erie.

Within this environment...a few spotty showers have already managed
to form along lake breeze boundaries across WNY and Lake Ontario...
and more scattered showers and storms should continue to develop
along these features over the next couple hours with further airmass
destabilization. As the parent shortwave trough accompanying the
surface low begins to increasingly impinge upon the region along
with its associated cold front during the mid to late afternoon
hours...showers and thunderstorms will tend to become more numerous/
widespread and make their way eastward...before diminishing from
west to east early this evening following the cold frontal passage.

With a fast/strong flow in place aloft along with 0-6 km bulk shear
values in the vicinity of 45-55 knots...the environment should be
favorable for the development of strong to severe multicells/linear
segments and perhaps also a few supercells. Strong/damaging winds
will continue to be the primary threat with these...however there is
also a low risk for large hail/an isolated tornado or two within any
stronger supercellular convection that can develop. This latter risk
will be greatest from portions of the Genesee Valley/Finger Lakes
eastward into central NY...where instability should be greatest and
the convection may have an opportunity to tap into enhanced low
level shear along a potential lake breeze boundary/convergence zone.

While we do have a very moist airmass in place for this time of year
(PWATs of around 1.50" - supportive of heavy downpours) and ground
conditions are also rather moist...the fast movement of the
convection should generally help to limit hydro concerns...unless
repeated training of cells occurs over the same areas...in which
case shorter-fused flood/flash flood warnings may become necessary.

KEY MESSAGE 2...Another round of widespread showers expected with a
few possible thunderstorms Saturday into Saturday night.

After a relative break in the active weather later tonight through
Friday night...things will turn much more active again on Saturday
as a deepening upper level trough overspreads the Great Lakes...and
its associated surface low makes its way to the vicinity of James
Bay. This next system will sweep its trailing strong cold front
across our region Saturday afternoon and evening...with daytime
heating of the warm and moist airmass out ahead of the front
supporting the development of another round of widespread showers
and widely scattered to scattered thunderstorms...with the potential
for the latter greatest across western New York where instability
looks to be highest. Should these materialize...the strong/fast deep-
layer flow out ahead of the front may support a linear convective
mode with a few localized strong wind gusts. With daytime
heating/mixing...the stronger flow aloft may also allow for a period
of rather breezy to downright windy conditions prior to the frontal
passage.

KEY MESSAGE 3...The very warm pattern continues through Saturday
before much colder air arrives by early next week.

While temps will cool off a few degrees for Friday in the wake of
the cold front, above average temperatures will easily persist
through Saturday.

The more substantial pattern change will come behind the cold front
described in Key Message (2) as deep upper level troughing crosses
the Northeast. 850mb temps of +12C to +15C Saturday afternoon will
tumble to -4C to -6C by Sunday morning, before bottoming out around
-12C Monday morning. This will result in high temperatures averaging
10-15 degrees (F) below normal Sunday through Monday. Overnight lows
will be similarly cold, with areawide temps dipping below freezing
and potentially even into the teens across the higher terrain areas,
depending on the amount of clearing that takes place.

This colder airmass moving through the region combined with some
minor lake enhancement and upsloping will even support a few snow
showers or flurries at times later Sunday/Sunday night/into
Monday...though the relatively dry airmass and short temporal window
(coupled with the now-much warmer ground conditions) should result
in these having little if any accumulation/impact.

Ridging all levels cresting across/east of the area should then
cause a southerly flow to develop by Tuesday, thereby allowing
temperatures to recover back to near climatological normals.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Low pressure near the Ontario-Quebec border will move east to the
Saint Lawrence Valley by this evening...then on into the Canadian
Maritimes tonight. In the process...this feature will push its
trailing cold front southeastward across the region this afternoon
and early this evening...with the front and lake breeze boundaries
generating numerous to widespread showers and scattered
thunderstorms in the process. In addition to heavy downpours and
corresponding reductions to IFR/MVFR...some of the storms will also
be capable of strong wind gusts to/over 50 knots and hail...
particularly from the Genesee Valley eastward across the Finger
Lakes into central New York.

Following the passage of the cold front this evening...some
scattered showers will probably linger across the region for a good
portion of the night. Of more concern to aviation interests...
copious amounts of low level moisture should also linger across the
region right through tonight. Coupled with weak/light winds...this
will allow for the development of widespread LIFR/IFR conditions in
low stratus and/or fog. Any lingering scattered showers will then
dissipate Friday morning...with flight conditions gradually
improving back to VFR through the course of the day as high pressure
and drier air builds across our region.

Outlook...

Friday night...VFR.

Saturday...VFR in the morning...then deterioration to IFR/MVFR with
showers and scattered thunderstorms developing during the afternoon
and evening. Also breezy to windy.

Sunday/Sunday night...A mix of MVFR/IFR with upslope/lake effect
rain showers mixing with and changing to snow showers.

Monday...Improvement to VFR/MVFR with leftover scattered lake
effect/upslope snow showers ending.

Tuesday,,,Mainly VFR.

&&

.MARINE...
An approaching cold front will generate numerous to widespread
showers and scattered thunderstorms as it crosses the region this
afternoon and early this evening...a few of which may produce strong
surface wind gusts and locally higher waves. Otherwise the warmer
airmass and relatively cold lake temperatures will result in limited
mixing of synoptic winds...thereby precluding any real risk of
advisory-level conditions.

Relatively light winds and minimal wave action are then expected
later tonight and Friday as high pressure builds across the Lower
Great Lakes...before winds increase out of the south/southwest
Saturday/Saturday night in association with the approach/passage of
a strong cold front. This may result in the next round of SCA
conditions with the frontal passage also accompanied by another
round of showers and storms...some of which could produce locally
stronger winds and higher waves.

&&

.BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NY...None.
MARINE...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...JJR
AVIATION...JJR
MARINE...JJR
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 16, 2:32 PM EDT, 3 hours 54 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
232 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

NYZ001>008-010>014-019>021-085-171900-
Niagara-Orleans-Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-Oswego-Jefferson-Lewis-
Northern Erie-Genesee-Wyoming-Livingston-Ontario-Chautauqua-
Cattaraugus-Allegany-Southern Erie-
232 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western and north central New
York.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Showers and scattered thunderstorms will cross the region this
afternoon and early this evening. Some of the storms may become
severe, with the primary severe weather risk coming in the form of
damaging wind gusts. This being said...large hail and an isolated
tornado or two are also possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

LEZ020-040-041-LOZ030-042>045-062>065-SLZ022-024-171900-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Ripley to Dunkirk-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Dunkirk to Buffalo-
Lower Niagara River-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from the Niagara River to Hamlin Beach-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence
River-
Lake Ontario open waters from the Niagara River to Hamlin Beach-
Lake Ontario open waters from Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay-
Lake Ontario open waters from Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay-
Lake Ontario open waters from Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River-
Saint Lawrence River from Cape Vincent to Ogdensburg-
Saint Lawrence River from Ogdensburg to Saint Regis-
232 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the New York waters of Lake
Erie, Lake Ontario, and the Saint Lawrence River.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Showers and scattered thunderstorms will cross the region this
afternoon and early this evening. Some of the storms may become
severe, with the primary severe weather risk coming in the form of
damaging wind gusts. This being said...large hail and an isolated
tornado or two are also possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

JJR

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 16, 2:28 PM EDT, 3 hours 58 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
228 PM EDT Thu Apr 16 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0814 PM     Tornado          3 SSW Lime Lake-Machias 42.39N 78.51W
04/15/2026                   Cattaraugus        NY   NWS Storm Survey

            Several trees uprooted in multiple
            directions shortly after the intersection of
            Tug Hill Road and Gulf Hill Road. Primary
            residence had a window blown in the upper
            most story of the house, with a secondary
            residence loosing a few roof shingles.

&&

EAJ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 15, 8:10 PM EDTTornado WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus16 min
Apr 15, 8:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus, Livingston, Ontario32 min
Apr 16, 4:32 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF43 min
Apr 16, 5:13 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF62 min
Apr 16, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFCayuga, Oswego34 min
Apr 16, 6:07 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF38 min
Apr 16, 6:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFCayuga, Oswego, Wayne54 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.