New York, 1997

Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in New York, July 15, 1997

July 15, 1997 · NWS OKX · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

In Westchester County, a microburst occurred. Trees were downed in a circular pattern, about 1/4 mile in diameter around Corley Street.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 OKX wrote it up.

Clusters of slow moving thunderstorms, some severe, moved slowly east-southeast over the local area.They produced high winds and torrential rain.In Westchester County, a microburst occurred. Trees were downed in a circular pattern, about 1/4 mile in diameter around Corley Street. High winds also caused a tree to fall through a skylight in Pleasantville.In Queens County, several wind gusts above 57 mph was measured at LaGuardia Airport. The peak gust was 81 mph, recorded at 718pm. A roof was blown off a house in East Queens at 19-32 43rd Street. In addition, torrential rain caused widespread flash flooding. At LaGuardia Airport, 2.44 inches of rain was measured in 1 hour with a total of 3.40 inches in less than 3 hours. The airport was forced to close due to widespread flooding of its' runways.In Bronx County, high winds downed trees and powerlines at I-95 and Pelham Parkway. Lightning struck Con Edison Transformers in East Tremont and at the intersection of Pennyfield and Harding Avenues.

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:22 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Westchester

When
July 15, 4:20 PM EST
Where
Westchester County, Yonkers
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
40.930, -73.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Queens

When
July 15, 5:43 PM EST
Where
Queens County, Laguardia Airport
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates
40.780, -73.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Queens

When
July 15, 5:56 PM EST to 6:18 PM EST
Where
Queens County, Laguardia Airport
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates
40.780, -73.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Bronx

When
July 15, 6:15 PM EST
Where
Bronx County, Bronx
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
40.830, -73.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Bronx

When
July 15, 6:45 PM EST
Where
Bronx County, I95 and Pelham Pkwy
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
40.850, -73.830

Flash Flood, Queens

When
July 15, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Queens County, Laguardia Airport
Coordinates
40.658, -73.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Westchester

When
July 15, 7:23 PM EST
Where
Westchester County, Pleasantville to Mt Vernon
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
41.150, -73.800

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.
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

More

Every storm in New York in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5610311, 5610310, 5610309, 5610312, 5610406, 5610407, 5610408.