Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 29, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 29, 1998
Start: 1998-05-29T11:05
End: 1998-05-29T13:15
Location: New York

May 29, 1998 · NWS BUF · 11 events in 7 counties and zones

Strong thunderstorms raced across the region during the late morning and early afternoon hours. The storms produced high winds, very heavy rain and one inch hail.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $118,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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.

Strong thunderstorms raced across the region during the late morning and early afternoon hours. The storms produced high winds, very heavy rain and one inch hail. The storms also caused scattered power outages throughout the counties. Most damage consisted of downed trees and power lines though in Sodus and Warsaw automobiles were damaged by falling trees. A 45 year old man was injured when he was struck by lightning while attempting to get from his tractor to his car during the storm. He was treated and released from a local hospital.

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:02 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Wyoming

When: May 29, 11:05 AM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Attica
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.870, -78.280

Lightning, Wyoming

When: May 29, 11:15 AM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Gainesville
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 42.702, -78.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Wyoming

When: May 29, 11:20 AM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Warsaw
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 42.730, -78.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: May 29, 11:40 AM EST
Where: Livingston County, Avon
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 42.920, -77.730

Hail, Wayne

When: May 29, 11:40 AM EST
Where: Wayne County, Newark
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.050, -77.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Oswego

When: May 29, 11:50 AM EST
Where: Oswego County, Oswego
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.470, -76.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: May 29, 12:10 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Sodus
Property damage: $28,000
Coordinates: 43.230, -77.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Cayuga

When: May 29, 12:15 PM EST
Where: Cayuga County, Fair Haven
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 43.320, -76.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Oswego

When: May 29, 12:23 PM EST
Where: Oswego County, West Monroe
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.280, -76.070

Hail, Allegany

When: May 29, 12:25 PM EST
Where: Allegany County, Canaseraga
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 42.470, -77.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis

When: May 29, 1:15 PM EST
Where: Lewis County, Lyons Falls
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 43.620, -75.370

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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, May 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: 5642357, 5642358, 5642359, 5642360, 5642361, 5642362, 5642363, 5642364, 5642365, 5642366, 5642367.