New York, 1998

Flash Flood and Hail in New York, August 24, 1998

August 24, 1998 · NWS BGM · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
$45,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

The radar

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

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Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Onondaga

When
August 24, 6:20 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
Where
Onondaga County, Clay to Manlius
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.180, -76.180

A cluster of thunderstorms quickly became severe early in the evening over northern portions of the county. A skywarn spotter first reported dime sized hail in the town of Clay around 720 pm EDT. By 730 pm EDT as the cell pushed southeastward into Manlius, another skywarn spotter recorded a wind gust to 70 mph with several large trees and power lines downed.

Hail, Madison

When
August 24, 6:42 PM EST to 6:55 PM EST
Where
Madison County, Sullivan to Erieville
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.050, -75.870

The same severe thunderstorm that produced wind damage and hail in Onondaga county remained severe as it crossed into northern Madison county. Hailstones from dime sized to about nickel sized were observed by skywarn spotters from Sullivan to Erieville.

Flash Flood, Onondaga

When
August 24, 6:45 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where
Onondaga County, Manlius
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
43.006, -76.195 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

As a severe thunderstorm moved through the region early in the evening, it dumped torrential rains. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches were observed in less than 30 minutes. This caused the Limestone Creek to quickly rise out of its banks. A four year old girl was out playing by the creek near her backyard when waters rapidly rose. She was caught in the rushing water and found downstream later that evening. Unfortunately, she did not survive the ordeal. Some minor damage was also incurred to portions of other properties from the force of the water. Later that evening, water levels receded about as quickly as they came up.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Flash Flood, Onondaga1998-08-244FemaleOutside/Open AreasDirect

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.
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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, August 1998

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: 5663590, 5663591, 5663592.