Flooding in New York, May 12 to 17, 1996

Name: Flooding in New York, May 12 to 17, 1996
Start: 1996-05-12T14:00
End: 1996-05-17T05:00
Location: New York

May 12 to 17, 1996 · NWS ALY · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A low pressure system tracked across New York State and New England during May 10 and 11. On May 12 the system moved to the east coast and intensified, this prolonged the period of precipitation.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $16,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

A low pressure system tracked across New York State and New England during May 10 and 11. On May 12 the system moved to the east coast and intensified, this prolonged the period of precipitation. Rainfall in excess of 2 inches fell during this period over much of western New England and eastern New York. This resulted in flooding along the Hudson River between Schuylerville in Saratoga County to Troy in Rensselaer County. The flooding was most extensive across the Stillwater Flats but much of the flooding elsewhere was minor.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Northern Washington

When: May 12, 2:00 PM EST to May 17, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.314, -73.431 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Northern Saratoga

When: May 12, 2:00 PM EST to May 17, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Saratoga forecast zone
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.107, -73.864 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Southern Saratoga

When: May 12, 2:00 PM EST to May 17, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Saratoga forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 43.107, -73.864 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Western Rensselaer

When: May 12, 2:00 PM EST to May 17, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Western Rensselaer forecast zone
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.711, -73.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, May 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: 5551049, 5551050, 5551051, 5551052.