Flash Flooding and Hail in New York, July 15, 1997

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in New York, July 15, 1997
Start: 1997-07-15T14:15
End: 1997-07-15T20:00
Location: New York

July 15, 1997 · NWS BUF · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

Strong thunderstorms crossed the region during the afternoon hours. The thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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: $125,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 BUF wrote it up.

Strong thunderstorms crossed the region during the afternoon hours. The thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines. Scattered power outages lasting several hours were reported. In Henrietta, a dozen utility poles were downed by the thunderstorm winds leaving nearly 24000 customers in the Rochester area without power for several hours. The thunderstorms dropped several inches of rain over the western southern tier resulting in flooded roads and basements in Jamestown and Ellicottiville. Localized poor drainage flooding was reported in the other affected areas also.

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:14 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Chautauqua

When: July 15, 2:15 PM EST
Where: Chautauqua County, Ellery Center
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.180, -79.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 15, 2:15 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, Henrietta
Measured: 62 kt (71 mph)
Property damage: $75,000
Coordinates: 43.070, -77.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Cayuga

When: July 15, 3:45 PM EST
Where: Cayuga County, Cato
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.170, -76.580

Flash Flood, Chautauqua

When: July 15, 4:00 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Chautauqua County, Jamestown
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.303, -79.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Oswego

When: July 15, 4:10 PM EST
Where: Oswego County, Phoenix
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.230, -76.300

Flash Flood, Cattaraugus

When: July 15, 4:20 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus County, Ellicottville
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.249, -78.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, July 1997

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5609948, 5609949, 5609950, 5609951, 5609952, 5609953.