Hail and Damaging Wind in New York, July 15, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in New York, July 15, 1998
Start: 1998-07-15T14:45
End: 1998-07-15T15:15
Location: New York

July 15, 1998 · NWS BUF · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed across the western southern tier during the afternoon hours. In addition to producing large hail, the storms produced damaging winds which downed trees and tree limbs.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $30,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 across the western southern tier during the afternoon hours. In addition to producing large hail, the storms produced damaging winds which downed trees and tree limbs. In Gowanda, an unoccupied automobile was damaged by a falling tree.

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Chautauqua

When: July 15, 2:45 PM EST
Where: Chautauqua County, Hartfield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.270, -79.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus

When: July 15, 3:15 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus County, Gowanda
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.470, -78.920

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, July 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5662785, 5662786.