Alert archive / New York / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Buffalo, NY

July 18, 20264 counties in New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this tornado warning at Jul 18, 2026, 2:44 PM EDT for 4 counties in New York. It was in force for 31 min. 1 report 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 18, 2026, 2:44 PM EDT (18:44 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 2026, 3:15 PM EDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

Counties Genesee County, NY, Livingston County, NY, Monroe County, NY, Orleans County, NY

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:45 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 18, 2:55 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGBergen, NYSeveral trees down in the Bergen area.

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 18, 1:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 57 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 2026-07-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 176 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 2026-07-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 173 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
176 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-138 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
958 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
173 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
212 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

669 
WFUS51 KBUF 181844
TORBUF
NYC037-051-055-073-181915-
/O.NEW.KBUF.TO.W.0006.260718T1844Z-260718T1915Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
244 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

The National Weather Service in Buffalo has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  North central Livingston County in western New York...
  Southeastern Orleans County in western New York...
  Northeastern Genesee County in western New York...
  Southwestern Monroe County in western New York...

* Until 315 PM EDT.

* At 244 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Byron, or 7 miles northeast of Batavia, moving
  east at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  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...
  Rochester, Chili, Le Roy, Byron, Caledonia, Scottsville,
  Churchville, Riga, Bergen, and Elba.

This includes Interstate 90 near exit 47.
 
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 4305 7823 4321 7819 4313 7766 4289 7778
TIME...MOT...LOC 1844Z 289DEG 31KT 4310 7812 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

SGK
2 follow-up statements
267 
WWUS51 KBUF 181901
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
301 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

NYC073-181910-
/O.CAN.KBUF.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-260718T1915Z/
Orleans NY-
301 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN ORLEANS COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for
western New York.

&&

LAT...LON 4301 7807 4312 7794 4309 7768 4289 7778
TIME...MOT...LOC 1900Z 289DEG 31KT 4305 7793 

$$

NYC037-051-055-181915-
/O.CON.KBUF.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-260718T1915Z/
Livingston NY-Genesee NY-Monroe NY-
301 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM EDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL LIVINGSTON...EAST CENTRAL GENESEE AND SOUTHWESTERN MONROE
COUNTIES...

At 300 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Churchville, or 10 miles west of Chili, moving east
at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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...
Le Roy, Caledonia, Scottsville, Churchville, Riga, Bergen, Mumford,
and Garbutt.

This includes Interstate 90 near exit 47.
 
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 4301 7807 4312 7794 4309 7768 4289 7778
TIME...MOT...LOC 1900Z 289DEG 31KT 4305 7793 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

SGK
422 
WWUS51 KBUF 181910
SVSBUF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
310 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

NYC037-051-055-181920-
/O.EXP.KBUF.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-260718T1915Z/
Livingston NY-Genesee NY-Monroe NY-
310 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL LIVINGSTON...EAST CENTRAL
GENESEE AND SOUTHWESTERN MONROE COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 315 PM EDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for
western New York.

&&

LAT...LON 4301 7807 4312 7794 4309 7768 4289 7778
TIME...MOT...LOC 1910Z 289DEG 31KT 4303 7783 

$$

SGK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 3:46 AM EDTBeach Hazards StatementBUFCayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Jefferson, Monroe, Orleans and 2 more26 hr
Jul 18, 10:43 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF51 min
Jul 18, 11:41 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFGenesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans64 min
Jul 18, 12:04 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF56 min
Jul 18, 12:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFLivingston, Monroe, Ontario, Wayne70 min
Jul 18, 12:55 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBUFGenesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans6 hr
Jul 18, 1:05 PM EDTTornado WarningBUFOntario40 min
Jul 18, 1:06 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF54 min
Jul 18, 1:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFGenesee, Niagara, Orleans65 min
Jul 18, 1:59 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF46 min
Jul 18, 2:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFErie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans81 min
Jul 18, 3:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFLivingston, Monroe, Ontario, Wayne65 min
Jul 18, 3:32 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF43 min
Jul 18, 3:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFErie, Genesee, Livingston, Wyoming47 min
Jul 18, 3:54 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningBUFMonroe15 hr
Jul 18, 4:05 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningBUFLivingston, Monroe, Ontario4 hr
Jul 18, 4:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBUFCattaraugus, Chautauqua50 min
Jul 18, 4:35 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBUF85 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.