Thunderstorm Wind, Herkimer
- When
- September 26, 8:45 PM EST
- Where
- Herkimer County, Old Forge
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.720, -74.980
Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, September 26, 1998
A strong upper level disturbance moving rapidly east from the Great Lakes Region, coupled with a warm, moist airmass in place, triggered a powerful squall line on the evening of the 6th in New York. The line of storms moved from northwest to southeast across New York during the nightime hours of the 6th and 7th producing widespread damage across the Empire State.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $124,000
- Crop damage
- $2,000
- Events
- 27
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 ALY wrote it up.
A strong upper level disturbance moving rapidly east from the Great Lakes Region, coupled with a warm, moist airmass in place, triggered a powerful squall line on the evening of the 6th in New York. The line of storms moved from northwest to southeast across New York during the nightime hours of the 6th and 7th producing widespread damage across the Empire State. The most note worthy damage in eastern New York was the destruction of a barn and silo on North Columbia Road in Columbia Center in western Herkimer County. Damage from the microburst appeared to be the equivalent of F1 Damage as much of the roof and siding was demolished. Most other wind damage included trees and power lines downed across many localities in the Mohawk valley and Saratoga Region. The damage was less severe in the immediate Capital District. At the height of the storm approximately 5,000 customers had no power. Lightning caused damage to a garage in Johnstown. There were many reports of dime size hail throughout eastern New York. Golf ball size hail was reported at Pine Plains in northeast Dutchess County.
The radar
The Ft Drum radar (KTYX), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:42 UTC.
Event by event
25 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Herkimer
- When
- September 26, 9:00 PM EST
- Where
- Herkimer County, Old Forge
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 43.720, -74.980
Thunderstorm Wind, Herkimer
- When
- September 26, 9:00 PM EST
- Where
- Herkimer County, Columbia Center
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 42.930, -75.030
Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton
- When
- September 26, 9:15 PM EST
- Where
- Hamilton County, Inlet
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.750, -74.780
Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton
- When
- September 26, 9:15 PM EST
- Where
- Hamilton County, Blue Mtn Lake
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.830, -74.430
Thunderstorm Wind, Herkimer
- When
- September 26, 9:25 PM EST
- Where
- Herkimer County, Herkimer
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.030, -75.020
Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton
- When
- September 26, 9:45 PM EST
- Where
- Fulton County, Oppenheim
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.070, -74.700
Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton
- When
- September 26, 9:50 PM EST
- Where
- Fulton County, Caroga Lake
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.150, -74.500
Thunderstorm Wind, Herkimer
- When
- September 26, 9:50 PM EST
- Where
- Herkimer County, Cedar Lake
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.950, -75.170
Lightning, Fulton
- When
- September 26, 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Fulton County, Johnstown
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.114, -74.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton
- When
- September 26, 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Fulton County, Mayfield
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.100, -74.270
Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery
- When
- September 26, 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Montgomery County, Ft Plain
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.930, -74.620
Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton
- When
- September 26, 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Hamilton County, Benson
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.250, -74.280
Thunderstorm Wind, Fulton
- When
- September 26, 10:05 PM EST
- Where
- Fulton County, Broadalbin
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.050, -74.200
Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery
- When
- September 26, 10:05 PM EST
- Where
- Montgomery County, Canajoharie
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.900, -74.570
Thunderstorm Wind, Saratoga
- When
- September 26, 10:05 PM EST
- Where
- Saratoga County, Edinburg
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.220, -74.100
Thunderstorm Wind, Saratoga
- When
- September 26, 10:15 PM EST
- Where
- Saratoga County, Milton Center
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 43.030, -73.900
Thunderstorm Wind, Saratoga
- When
- September 26, 10:15 PM EST
- Where
- Saratoga County, Galway
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 43.020, -74.030
Thunderstorm Wind, Schoharie
- When
- September 26, 10:30 PM EST
- Where
- Schoharie County, Cobleskill
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.670, -74.480
Thunderstorm Wind, Saratoga
- When
- September 26, 10:35 PM EST
- Where
- Saratoga County, Halfmoon
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 42.830, -73.720
Thunderstorm Wind, Albany
- When
- September 26, 10:48 PM EST
- Where
- Albany County, New Scotland
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.630, -73.920
Thunderstorm Wind, Albany
- When
- September 26, 10:48 PM EST
- Where
- Albany County, Westerlo
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.520, -74.050
Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia
- When
- September 26, 11:00 PM EST
- Where
- Columbia County, Stuyvesant
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.380, -73.780
Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia
- When
- September 26, 11:05 PM EST
- Where
- Columbia County, Niverville
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.430, -73.670
Thunderstorm Wind, Albany
- When
- September 26, 11:05 PM EST
- Where
- Albany County, Ravena
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 42.470, -73.820
Thunderstorm Wind, Greene
- When
- September 26, 11:15 PM EST
- Where
- Greene County, Catskill
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
- Coordinates
- 42.220, -73.870
Hail, Dutchess
- When
- September 26, 11:30 PM EST
- Where
- Dutchess County, Pine Plains
- Measured
- 2 in hail
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Crop damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 41.970, -73.670
What these are
- 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.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- 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.
The same day elsewhere
- Hail in Wisconsin, September 26, 1998
- Damaging Winds in New York, September 26, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Wisconsin, September 26, 1998
- Damaging Winds in New York, September 26, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Michigan, September 26, 1998
- Damaging Winds in New York, September 26, 1998
- Damaging Winds in Michigan, September 26 to 27, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, September 26, 1998
- Hurricane in Louisiana, September 26 to 27, 1998
- Hail in Michigan, September 26, 1998
- Hail in Wisconsin, September 26, 1998
- Heat in Oklahoma, September 26, 1998
More
Every storm in New York in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, September 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: 5667176, 5667177, 5667178, 5667179, 5667180, 5667181, 5667182, 5667183, 5667184, 5667185, 5667186, 5667187, 5667188, 5667189, 5667190, 5667191, 5667192, 5667193, 5667194, 5667195, 5667348, 5667443, 5667349, 5667350, 5667351, 5667352, 5667353.