Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 31, 1998

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 31, 1998
Start: 1998-05-31T04:20
End: 1998-05-31T15:29
Location: New York

May 31, 1998 · NWS BUF · 31 events in 16 counties and zones

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: $420,000
Crop damage: $125,000
Events: 31

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.

An outbreak of severe storms began across the region during the early morning hours. The storms were particularly dangerous because of the speed that they were moving across the region--sometimes in excess of 60 mph. Most of the damage associated with these storms occurred from a combination of high winds and hail. There were reports of numerous trees and wires down as well as power outages. Tens of thousands were without power. In Niagara and Orleans counties, about 50% of the apple crop was damaged by the pelting hail stones. Several flights were delayed or cancelled at the Buffalo and Rochester airports due to the storms. In Pultneyville, Wayne county, a wooden pavilion was collapsed by the winds.

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:21 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

28 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Niagara

When: May 31, 4:20 AM EST
Where: Niagara County, Lockport
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: $75,000
Coordinates: 43.170, -78.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Erie

When: May 31, 9:27 AM EST
Where: Erie County, Kenmore
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.970, -78.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Erie

When: May 31, 9:30 AM EST
Where: Erie County, Elma
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 42.850, -78.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Niagara

When: May 31, 9:30 AM EST
Where: Niagara County, North Tonawanda
Property damage: $23,000
Coordinates: 43.030, -78.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Orleans

When: May 31, 9:45 AM EST
Where: Orleans County, Medina
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 43.230, -78.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee

When: May 31, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Genesee County, Bergen
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 43.080, -77.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 31, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Monroe County, Gates Center
Property damage: $18,000
Coordinates: 43.150, -77.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Wyoming

When: May 31, 10:05 AM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Attica
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.870, -78.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 31, 10:15 AM EST
Where: Monroe County, Hamlin
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Property damage: $17,000
Coordinates: 43.300, -77.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 31, 10:20 AM EST
Where: Monroe County, Scottsville
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.020, -77.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Erie

When: May 31, 10:30 AM EST
Where: Erie County, Orchard Park
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 42.770, -78.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: May 31, 10:30 AM EST
Where: Monroe County, Rochester
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.180, -77.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: May 31, 10:40 AM EST
Where: Livingston County, Caledonia
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.970, -77.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Ontario

When: May 31, 10:50 AM EST
Where: Ontario County, Victor
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 42.980, -77.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: May 31, 10:50 AM EST
Where: Wayne County, Ontario
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.220, -77.280

Hail, Chautauqua

When: May 31, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Chautauqua County, Ripley
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 42.270, -79.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: May 31, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Jefferson County, Watertown
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.980, -75.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Oswego

When: May 31, 11:15 AM EST
Where: Oswego County, Fulton
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.320, -76.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Erie

When: May 31, 11:30 AM EST
Where: Erie County, Evans Center
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.650, -79.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Oswego

When: May 31, 11:30 AM EST
Where: Oswego County, Caughdenoy
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 43.270, -76.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis

When: May 31, 11:40 AM EST
Where: Lewis County, Castorland
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 43.880, -75.520

Thunderstorm Wind, Cayuga

When: May 31, 11:45 AM EST
Where: Cayuga County, Conquest
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.120, -76.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus

When: May 31, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus County, Perrysburg
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.450, -79.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Allegany

When: May 31, 12:30 PM EST
Where: Allegany County, Scio
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 42.170, -77.980

Hail, Cattaraugus

When: May 31, 12:30 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus County, East Otto
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 42.380, -78.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: May 31, 1:15 PM EST
Where: Livingston County, Dansville
Property damage: $11,000
Coordinates: 42.570, -77.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: May 31, 1:45 PM EST
Where: Livingston County, Conesus
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.720, -77.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Wyoming

When: May 31, 1:45 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Arcade
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.530, -78.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus

When: May 31, 2:55 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus County, South Dayton
Property damage: $11,000
Coordinates: 42.370, -79.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Oswego

When: May 31, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Oswego County, Hannibal
Property damage: $13,000
Coordinates: 43.320, -76.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: May 31, 3:29 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Ontario
Measured: 67 kt (77 mph)
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.220, -77.280

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, 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: 5642368, 5642369, 5642370, 5642371, 5642372, 5642373, 5642374, 5642747, 5642748, 5642749, 5642750, 5642751, 5642752, 5642753, 5642754, 5642755, 5642756, 5642757, 5642758, 5642759, 5642760, 5642761, 5642762, 5642763, 5642764, 5642765, 5642766, 5642767, 5642768, 5642769, 5642770.