Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua
- When
- July 18, 1:30 PM EST
- Where
- Chautauqua County, Portland
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 42.380, -79.470
Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, July 18, 1997
Thunderstorms developed ahead of a strong cold front and brought high winds and large hail to the region. The high winds downed trees and power lines and caused minor structural damage.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $244,000
- Crop damage
- $500,000
- Events
- 18
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.
Thunderstorms developed ahead of a strong cold front and brought high winds and large hail to the region. The high winds downed trees and power lines and caused minor structural damage. Hail, as large as golfballs, damaged crops in Niagara and Orleans counties. Crops affected included apples, peaches, pears and cherries. Several fires were reported as a result of lightning strikes. The heavy rains that accompanied the storms resulted in minor urban flooding.
The radar
The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:27 UTC.
Event by event
11 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus
- When
- July 18, 1:50 PM EST
- Where
- Cattaraugus County, Dayton
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Coordinates
- 42.420, -78.970
Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus
- When
- July 18, 1:55 PM EST
- Where
- Cattaraugus County, Otto
- Property damage
- $8,000
- Coordinates
- 42.350, -78.820
Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson
- When
- July 18, 2:10 PM EST
- Where
- Jefferson County, Watertown
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 43.980, -75.920
Thunderstorm Wind, Allegany
- When
- July 18, 2:40 PM EST
- Where
- Allegany County, Bolivar
- Property damage
- $12,000
- Coordinates
- 42.070, -78.170
Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis
- When
- July 18, 3:15 PM EST
- Where
- Lewis County, Croghan
- Property damage
- $8,000
- Coordinates
- 43.880, -75.380
Hail, Niagara
- When
- July 18, 3:45 PM EST
- Where
- Niagara County, North Tonawanda
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Property damage
- $35,000
- Crop damage
- $250,000
- Coordinates
- 43.030, -78.880
Hail, Erie
- When
- July 18, 3:55 PM EST
- Where
- Erie County, Kenmore
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $8,000
- Coordinates
- 42.970, -78.830
Hail, Erie
- When
- July 18, 4:10 PM EST
- Where
- Erie County, Clarence
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Coordinates
- 42.980, -78.580
Hail, Orleans
- When
- July 18, 4:15 PM EST
- Where
- Orleans County, Medina
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Crop damage
- $250,000
- Coordinates
- 43.230, -78.380
Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua
- When
- July 18, 4:17 PM EST
- Where
- Chautauqua County, Portland
- Property damage
- $25,000
- Coordinates
- 42.380, -79.470
Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus
- When
- July 18, 4:19 PM EST
- Where
- Cattaraugus County, Dayton
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 42.420, -78.970
Hail, Genesee
- When
- July 18, 4:20 PM EST
- Where
- Genesee County, Corfu
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $13,000
- Coordinates
- 42.950, -78.400
Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee
- When
- July 18, 4:30 PM EST
- Where
- Genesee County, Pembroke
- Property damage
- $8,000
- Coordinates
- 43.000, -78.450
Thunderstorm Wind, Erie
- When
- July 18, 4:50 PM EST
- Where
- Erie County, Orchard Park
- Measured
- 64 kt (74 mph)
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Coordinates
- 42.770, -78.730
Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee
- When
- July 18, 4:50 PM EST
- Where
- Genesee County, Batavia
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Coordinates
- 43.000, -78.180
Hail, Cattaraugus
- When
- July 18, 5:40 PM EST
- Where
- Cattaraugus County, Franklinville
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 42.330, -78.450
Hail, Cattaraugus
- When
- July 18, 7:00 PM EST
- Where
- Cattaraugus County, Franklinville
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $7,000
- Coordinates
- 42.330, -78.450
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.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, July 18, 1997
- Hurricane in Alabama, July 18 to 22, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in New Jersey, July 18, 1997
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, July 18, 1997
- Tornado and Flood in Wisconsin, July 18, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Utah, July 18, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, July 18, 1997
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in New Jersey, July 18, 1997
- Damaging Winds in New York, July 18, 1997
- Lightning Strikes in Alabama, July 18, 1997
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, July 18, 1997
- Tornado in Illinois, July 18, 1997
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5609954, 5609955, 5609956, 5609957, 5609958, 5609959, 5609960, 5609961, 5610075, 5610076, 5610077, 5610078, 5610079, 5610080, 5610081, 5610082, 5610083, 5610084.