Alert archive / New York / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Buffalo, NY

April 15, 2026Allegany County, Cattaraugus County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 2026, 8:10 PM EDT for Allegany County, Cattaraugus County, New York. It was in force for 16 min. 2 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, 8:10 PM EDT (00:10 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 2026, 8:26 PM EDT
In force
16 min
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Allegany County, NY, Cattaraugus County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:09 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, 8:14 PM EDTTORNADO3 Ssw Lime Lake-Machias, NYSeveral 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.
Apr 15, 8:18 PM EDTTORNADO5 Ene Franklinville, NYNWS storm survey confirmed 80mph EF-0 tornado damage in the Town of Farmersville with a path length of 0.23 mi and width of 75 yds.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 259 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 2026-04-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 253 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 2026-04-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 237 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
253 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-50 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1748 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
237 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
312 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
6.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

740 
WFUS51 KBUF 160010
TORBUF
NYC003-009-160045-
/O.NEW.KBUF.TO.W.0002.260416T0010Z-260416T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
810 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Cattaraugus County in western New York...
  West central Allegany County in western New York...

* Until 845 PM EDT.

* At 810 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Ashford, or 17 miles northeast of Salamanca,
  moving east at 30 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...
  Franklinville, Rushford, Hardy Corners, Lime Lake-Machias, and
  Farmersville Station.

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 4234 7857 4241 7859 4250 7832 4234 7818
TIME...MOT...LOC 0010Z 269DEG 26KT 4238 7854 

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

$$

PP
2 follow-up statements
274 
WWUS51 KBUF 160022
SVSBUF

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

NYC003-009-160045-
/O.CON.KBUF.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260416T0045Z/
Cattaraugus NY-Allegany NY-
822 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN CATTARAUGUS AND WEST CENTRAL ALLEGANY COUNTIES...

At 822 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Rushford, or 22 miles north of Olean, moving east at
50 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...
Rushford, Hardy Corners, and Farmersville Station.

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 4234 7842 4245 7846 4250 7832 4234 7818
TIME...MOT...LOC 0022Z 268DEG 42KT 4240 7831 

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

$$

Lupo
182 
WWUS51 KBUF 160026
SVSBUF

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

NYC003-009-160036-
/O.CAN.KBUF.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260416T0045Z/
Cattaraugus NY-Allegany NY-
826 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN CATTARAUGUS AND WEST CENTRAL
ALLEGANY COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been 
cancelled. However, damaging winds remain likely and a Severe 
Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

&&

LAT...LON 4234 7842 4245 7846 4250 7832 4234 7818
TIME...MOT...LOC 0024Z 269DEG 26KT 4240 7827 

$$

PP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
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, 6:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFLewis49 min
Apr 16, 6:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFCayuga, Oswego, Wayne54 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in New York, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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.