Tornado in New York, May 31, 1998

A fast moving storm produced a combination of downburst winds and a weak tornado. The initial damage from the storm was the result of downburst winds and consisted of several large trees tipped over...roots exposed...which witnesses say occurred prior to the heavy rain. A funnel was sighted about 3/4 mile into the damage path and eyewitnesses from that point on said the damage occurred after the heavy rain and hail were over and skies were beginning to brighten. Damage was sporadic along the damage path as it appears the tornado was not on the ground the entire time. There were three structures--a house, a barn and a garage--which suffered considerable damage. Several other structures sustained minor damage of siding and shingles being torn off. Most of the damage appeared to have been caused by straightline winds apparently due to the fast movement of the storm. Wind speeds were estimated around 80 mph.