New York, 1998

Lightning Strikes in New York, July 23, 1998

July 23, 1998 · NWS OKX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Lightning struck the steeple of the First Reformed Church in Nyack. Lightning struck the roof of a house at 5 Cobblers Lane in Armonk.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
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 OKX wrote it up.

As thunderstorms moved across the area, they produced frequent lightning along with heavy rain.Lightning struck the steeple of the First Reformed Church in Nyack. It ignited a fire, but caused minimal damage to the top of the steeple.Lightning struck the roof of a house at 5 Cobblers Lane in Armonk. It ignited a fire that charred half the attic and put a hole in the bedroom ceiling.

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Rockland

When
July 23, 12:30 PM EST
Where
Rockland County, Nyack
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
41.152, -74.024 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Westchester

When
July 23, 12:45 PM EST
Where
Westchester County, Armonk
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
41.152, -73.753 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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, 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5657511, 5657512.