Damaging Winds in New York, July 31, 1999

Name: Damaging Winds in New York, July 31, 1999
Start: 1999-07-31T15:55
End: 1999-07-31T18:15
Location: New York

July 31, 1999 · NWS BUF · 16 events in 13 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: 16
Property damage: $475,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

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.

Violent thunderstorms ripped across western New York and the Finger Lakes region during the evening hours. The strong thunderstorms downed trees and power lines and left hundreds of thousands without power. Several roads were blocked by fallen debris. Several of the falling trees caused damage to houses and automobiles. At Beaver Island State Park, 12 people were injured when gust front winds downed a 35 foot tree onto a table of picnickers. Seven adults and five children, ranging in age from 5 to 35, were take to the hospital. Most suffered cuts and bruises. Eleven were treated and released. One woman was held overnight with shoulder and upper back injuries. In Monroe County, at the Freeman Park in Mumford four people at a company picnic were injured when high winds picked up a tent and dragged it through the crowd. They were treated and released from an area hospital.

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:54 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Erie

When: July 31, 3:55 PM EST
Where: Erie County, Buffalo
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Injuries: 12 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 42.920, -78.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Niagara

When: July 31, 3:55 PM EST
Where: Niagara County, North Tonawanda
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 43.030, -78.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 31, 4:01 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, Rochester Arpt
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Injuries: 4 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.120, -77.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 31, 4:15 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, Henrietta
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.070, -77.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee

When: July 31, 4:30 PM EST
Where: Genesee County, Bergen
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 43.080, -77.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Cattaraugus

When: July 31, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus County, Otto
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.350, -78.820

Thunderstorm Wind, Wyoming

When: July 31, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, Attica
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.870, -78.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Cayuga

When: July 31, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Cayuga County, Fair Haven
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 43.320, -76.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 31, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Palmyra
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.070, -77.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: July 31, 5:05 PM EST
Where: Livingston County, Avon
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.920, -77.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua

When: July 31, 5:08 PM EST
Where: Chautauqua County, Clymer
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.020, -79.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Oswego

When: July 31, 5:18 PM EST
Where: Oswego County, Oswego
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 43.470, -76.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: July 31, 5:35 PM EST
Where: Livingston County, Caledonia
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.970, -77.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua

When: July 31, 5:50 PM EST
Where: Chautauqua County, Lakewood
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 42.100, -79.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Allegany

When: July 31, 6:10 PM EST
Where: Allegany County, Almond
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.320, -77.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis

When: July 31, 6:15 PM EST
Where: Lewis County, Lowville
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 43.780, -75.480

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, July 1999

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5711663, 5711664, 5711665, 5711666, 5711667, 5711668, 5711669, 5711670, 5711671, 5711672, 5711673, 5711674, 5711675, 5711676, 5711677, 5711678.