New York, 1996

High Wind in New York, December 1, 1996

December 1, 1996 · NWS ALY · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

An intense area of low pressure which moved from Indiana north across the Great Lakes, produced damaging winds over parts of eastern New York during the afternoon of December 1. The wind downed trees and power lines in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Greene and Dutchess Counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
$115,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
14

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.

An intense area of low pressure which moved from Indiana north across the Great Lakes, produced damaging winds over parts of eastern New York during the afternoon of December 1. The wind downed trees and power lines in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Greene and Dutchess Counties. Damage was most widespread in Saratoga, Warren and Rensselaer Counties. At Waterford in Saratoga County, a tree fell on a trailer home and truck. Approximately 2,000 customers lost power in the Capital District.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Northern Saratoga

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Saratoga forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
43.107, -73.864 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Warren

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Warren forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Coordinates
43.561, -73.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Washington

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Washington forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
43.314, -73.431 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Schoharie

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Schoharie forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
42.588, -74.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Schenectady

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Western Schenectady forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
42.818, -74.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Schenectady

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Schenectady forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
42.818, -74.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Saratoga

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Saratoga forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
43.107, -73.864 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Albany

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Western Albany forecast zone
Property damage
$7,000
Coordinates
42.600, -73.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Albany

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Albany forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
42.600, -73.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Rensselaer

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Western Rensselaer forecast zone
Property damage
$7,000
Coordinates
42.711, -73.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Rensselaer

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Rensselaer forecast zone
Property damage
$7,000
Coordinates
42.711, -73.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Greene

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Western Greene forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
42.277, -74.123 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Dutchess

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Western Dutchess forecast zone
Property damage
$7,000
Coordinates
41.765, -73.743 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Dutchess

When
December 1, 2:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern Dutchess forecast zone
Property damage
$7,000
Coordinates
41.765, -73.743 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New York in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, December 1996

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: 5575977, 5575978, 5575979, 5575980, 5575981, 5575982, 5575983, 5575984, 5575985, 5575986, 5575987, 5575988, 5575989, 5575990.