New York, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, June 2, 1998

June 2, 1998 · NWS BUF · 15 events in 12 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms swept across the entire region during the late afternoon and evening hours. 5".

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$340,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Events
15

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.

Severe thunderstorms swept across the entire region during the late afternoon and evening hours. The storms produced hailstones up to 1.5". Although the stones were not excessively large, what was unusual for the area was the number and areal coverage of the reported hail. It was the first time three-quarter inch hail had been observed at the Buffalo Airport since record keeping began there. The hail severely damaged the cherry crop in Niagara County. In addition to the large amount of hail, the thunderstorms produced damaging winds which downed trees and power lines and poles. Power outages were reported across the 13 county region. Falling trees blocked roads and damaged homes and property in Alden, Wellsville, Cuba and Cheektowaga. Funnel clouds were sighted, but did not touch down, in Wellsville, Allegany County and Nunda, Livingston County. The heavy rains that accompanied the thunderstorms produced localized flooding in Cheektowaga and Depew.

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:21 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Chautauqua

When
June 2, 4:20 PM EST
Where
Chautauqua County, Kiantone
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
42.020, -79.200

Hail, Erie

When
June 2, 4:45 PM EST
Where
Erie County, Buffalo
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
42.920, -78.850

Hail, Wyoming

When
June 2, 5:23 PM EST
Where
Wyoming County, Varysburg
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.770, -78.320

Hail, Niagara

When
June 2, 5:25 PM EST
Where
Niagara County, Newfane
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$15,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.280, -78.720

Hail, Genesee

When
June 2, 5:55 PM EST
Where
Genesee County, Batavia
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.000, -78.180

Hail, Cattaraugus

When
June 2, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Cattaraugus County, Ellicottville
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
42.270, -78.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When
June 2, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Livingston County, Leicester
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
42.770, -77.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Allegany

When
June 2, 6:30 PM EST
Where
Allegany County, Cuba
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$75,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
42.220, -78.270

Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus

When
June 2, 6:30 PM EST
Where
Cattaraugus County, Ischua
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
42.250, -78.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When
June 2, 6:30 PM EST
Where
Livingston County, Livonia
Property damage
$30,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
42.820, -77.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Ontario

When
June 2, 6:30 PM EST
Where
Ontario County, Clifton Spgs
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
42.970, -77.150

Hail, Wayne

When
June 2, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Wayne County, Williamson
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.230, -77.180

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When
June 2, 7:10 PM EST
Where
Jefferson County, Watertown
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.980, -75.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When
June 2, 7:15 PM EST
Where
Jefferson County, Watertown
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.980, -75.920

Hail, Lewis

When
June 2, 7:45 PM EST
Where
Lewis County, Harrisville
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.150, -75.320

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

More

Every storm in New York in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, June 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: 5657014, 5657015, 5657016, 5657017, 5657018, 5657019, 5657020, 5657021, 5657022, 5657023, 5657024, 5657025, 5657026, 5657027, 5657028.