New York, 1978

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in New York, May 9, 1978

May 9, 1978 · NWS S · 10 events in 9 counties and zones

7 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$250,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Chemung

When
May 9, 3:28 AM CST
Where
Chemung County
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates
42.170, -76.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
May 9, 11:15 AM CST
Where
Monroe County
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates
43.120, -77.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Oneida

When
May 9, 2:28 PM CST
Where
Oneida County
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates
43.230, -75.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Herkimer

When
May 9, 3:15 PM CST
Where
Herkimer County
Coordinates
43.770, -74.820

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When
May 9, 3:30 PM CST
Where
Hamilton County
Coordinates
43.450, -74.530

Tornado, Warren

When
May 9, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Warren County
Rating
F1
Path length
1.2 mi
Path width
167 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
43.330, -73.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
May 9, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Washington County
Coordinates
43.180, -73.500

Tornado, Saratoga

When
May 9, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Saratoga County
Path width
33 yd
Coordinates
42.900, -73.680

Tornado, Essex

When
May 9, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Essex County
Path width
33 yd
Coordinates
44.050, -73.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Essex

When
May 9, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Essex County
Coordinates
44.050, -73.450

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New York in 1978Every state in 1978This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for New York, 1978

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10075899, 10075900, 10075901, 10075902, 10075903, 10075904, 10075905, 10075906, 10075907, 10075908.