New York, 1998Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 29, 1998
May 29, 1998 · NWS BGM · 15 events in 14 counties and zones
A strong cold front plowed into a moist unstable environment across central New York during the afternoon of the 29th. The result was organized severe thunderstorm activity in the form of several bow echoes and squall lines.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
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- Heat and drought
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- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 1
- Property damage
- $465,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- 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.
A strong cold front plowed into a moist unstable environment across central New York during the afternoon of the 29th. The result was organized severe thunderstorm activity in the form of several bow echoes and squall lines. A line of severe thunderstorms first entered the northern Finger Lakes region shortly before 130 pm EDT. A fatality occurred in Syracuse as this line of storms passed through. A man was struck by a large tree limb while out walking. Many large trees and power lines littered streets in northern and eastern portions of the Syracuse metropolitan area in the wake of the thunderstorms. This same line of storms also grew back to the west and southwest and produced large hail to one inch in diameter across Cayuga and Seneca counties. Later that afternoon, the line of severe thunderstorms maintained its intensity and interacted with smaller line echo wave pattern features to produce a solid axis of damaging thunderstorms across New York's southern tier and the Catskills. An area from northern Broome county to southern Chenango county and into Otsego county likely sustained the most damage. Wind gusts estimated at close to 90 mph toppled trees and power lines in their path. Many roads were closed for a time in the Plymouth and Oxford areas of Chenango county due to fallen trees. By 530 pm EDT, the severe thunderstorms had moved either into the eastern Catskills or northeastern Pennsylvania.
Thunderstorm Wind, Onondaga
- When
- May 29, 12:27 PM EST to 12:35 PM EST
- Where
- Onondaga County, Cicero to Manlius
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Injuries
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $40,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 43.180, -76.120
A line of thunderstorms became severe as it crossed northern sections of the county close to 1:30 pm EDT. Numerous trees and wires were downed across northern and eastern sections of the Syracuse metropolitan area. One man in Cicero was injured when he was shocked from falling wires. In Syracuse, another man was struck and killed by a large tree limb on the corner of Congress and Holland Streets.
Hail, Yates
- When
- May 29, 12:39 PM EST
- Where
- Yates County, Benton
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 42.730, -77.070
A thunderstorm briefly produced nickel sized hail as it crossed over the northern end of Keuka Lake in Benton township just before 1:40 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Oneida
- When
- May 29, 12:50 PM EST to 1:20 PM EST
- Where
- Oneida County, Camden to Forestport
- Property damage
- $65,000
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 43.330, -75.750
A fast moving line of severe thunderstorms inflicted widespread wind damage across much of the county, especially in northern and central portions. From roughly Camden eastward across the Rome area to Forestport, numerous trees and wires were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Schuyler
- When
- May 29, 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Schuyler County, Tyrone
- Property damage
- $25,000
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 42.420, -77.070
A severe thunderstorm toppled several large trees in Tyrone around 2:00 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Steuben
- When
- May 29, 1:00 PM EST to 1:33 PM EST
- Where
- Steuben County, Wheeler to Wayne Four Corners
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 42.430, -77.330
A cluster of severe thunderstorms affected the northeastern corner of the county roughly between 2:00 pm and 2:30 pm EDT. Wind damage was the main consequence with trees and power lines down in Wheeler, Savona, and Wayne Four Corners.
Thunderstorm Wind, Tompkins
- When
- May 29, 1:15 PM EST to 1:50 PM EST
- Where
- Tompkins County, Trumansburg to Speedville
- Property damage
- $30,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 42.550, -76.650
A cluster of severe thunderstorms moved through Tompkins county between 2:15 and 2:50 pm EDT. Numerous trees and power lines were downed as a result of these storms in Trumansburg, Ithaca, Caroline, and Speedsville.
Thunderstorm Wind, Madison
- When
- May 29, 1:35 PM EST to 1:40 PM EST
- Where
- Madison County, Canastota to 5 mi of Hubbardsville
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 43.020, -75.770
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across the county causing trees and power lines to come down between 2:35 and 2:40 pm EDT. Trees and wires were downed 5 miles south of Canastota in Lincoln Township and in Hubbardsville.
Thunderstorm Wind, Cortland
- When
- May 29, 1:55 PM EST
- Where
- Cortland County, Solon
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.600, -76.020
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Cortland County knocking down trees on Telegraph Road in Solon at 2:55 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Otsego
- When
- May 29, 1:55 PM EST to 3:12 PM EST
- Where
- Otsego County, Exeter Center to Unadilla
- Property damage
- $60,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.780, -75.070
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Otsego County during the afternoon. Trees and wires were knocked down in Exeter Center at 2:55 pm, Hartwick at 3:20 pm, Morris at 3:27 pm, and Unadilla at 4:12 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Broome
- When
- May 29, 2:00 PM EST to 2:30 PM EST
- Where
- Broome County, Lisle to Harpursville
- Property damage
- $60,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 42.350, -76.000
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Broome County between 2:45 and 3:40 pm EDT. Trees and wires were knocked downed in Lisle at 3:00 pm, Glen Aubrey at 3:10 pm, Chenango Forks at 3:15 pm, and 3 miles west of Harpursville at 3:30 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Chemung
- When
- May 29, 2:05 PM EST to 2:20 PM EST
- Where
- Chemung County, Erin
- Property damage
- $40,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 42.180, -76.670
A cluster of severe thunderstorms moved across Chemung County between 2:30 and 3:30 pm EDT. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down in Erin and the northeastern part of the county between 3:05 and 3:20 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Tioga
- When
- May 29, 2:15 PM EST to 2:25 PM EST
- Where
- Tioga County, Spencer to Candor
- Property damage
- $30,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 42.220, -76.500
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Tioga County knocking down trees in Spencer at 3:15 pm and in Candor at 3:25 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Tompkins
- When
- May 29, 2:15 PM EST
- Where
- Tompkins County, Danby
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 42.350, -76.480
A severe thunderstorm moved across the southern portion of the county and knocked down trees in Danby at approximately 3:15 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Delaware
- When
- May 29, 2:55 PM EST to 3:20 PM EST
- Where
- Delaware County, Masonville to Delhi
- Property damage
- $35,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 42.250, -75.370
A line of severe thunderstorms plowed through the county with widespread wind damage. Many large trees and wires were knocked down in Masonville at 3:55 pm, in Walton around 4:10 pm, and in Delhi at 4:20 pm EDT.
Thunderstorm Wind, Sullivan
- When
- May 29, 3:45 PM EST to 4:15 PM EST
- Where
- Sullivan County, Grahamsville to Liberty
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 41.850, -74.570
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across Sullivan County during the afternoon. A 64 mph wind gust was recorded in Grahamsville at 4:45 pm and trees were knocked down in Liberty at 5:15 pm EDT.
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Damaging Winds in New York, May 29, 19981 death · 3 injured · $188,000 · 38 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 29, 1998$1.3 million · 65 kt wind · 41 events
- Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, May 29, 1998$235,000 · 7 events
- Flash Flooding in Mississippi, May 29, 1998$250,000 · 4 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 29, 19981 injured · $118,000 · 1 in hail · 11 events
- Flash Flood and Lightning Strike in South Carolina, May 29, 1998$150,000 · 2 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, May 29, 1998$66,000 · 1 in hail · 13 events
- Lightning Strike in Mississippi, May 29, 1998$100,000 · 1 event
- Heavy Rain in Nebraska, May 29, 1998$85,000 · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Iowa, May 29, 1998$67,000 · 1.75 in hail · 5 events
- Damaging Wind in Ohio, May 29, 1998$60,000 · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, May 29, 1998$20,000 · 1 in hail · 20 events
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: 5650004, 5650006, 5650089, 5650091, 5650092, 5650093, 5650309, 5650310, 5650316, 5650314, 5650311, 5650312, 5650315, 5650402, 5650403.