Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in New York, July 6, 1999

A cold front moved from the Great Lakes eastward across New York State on July 6. With sultry air in place, and favourable strong winds aloft, this front triggered the largest outbreak of severe weather in eastern New York since May 31st, 1998. A squall line developed around midday ahead of the front and produced the most damage. However, more thunderstorm cells continued developing and some of these became severe into the evening hours. Nearly every county in eastern New York experienced some wind damage. Rensselaer, Warren, Washington,Herkimer, Saratoga and Schenectady Counties were especially hard -hit. Powerful thunderstorms brought down trees and power lines in many localities. Unfortunately, a falling tree killed a camper located on Uncas Island on Lake George. Two other individuals were injured as they lost control of their car avoiding a falling tree at Diamond Point near Lake George. Four to five hundred trees were blown down in Putnam, Washington county. The wind peeled off roofs next to a toll booth located in Schenectady and downed trees crushed a car on Brandywine Avenue. Glenville in Schenectady county was described as a war zone with a large number of fallen trees. A microburst estimated at 80-90 mph downed hundreds of trees resulting in closed roads in Clifton Park, Saratoga County. The worst damage was in the vicinity of Ashley Drive and Huckleberry Lane. The swath was 1.6 miles long and fanned out 0.8 miles wide. Thunderstorm winds knocked trees onto a mobile home, crushing it, in the town of Halfmoon. An even more destructive microburst with estimated winds of 100 mph, brought thousands of trees down between Raymertown and Pittstown, Rensselaer County, and tore roofs off storage buildings. This microburst travelled 4.5 miles and damage fanned out to 2.2 miles wide. Another microburst took place in Rensselaer, Rensselaer County, bringing a large number of trees down. In addition, roofs were peeled off homes. Lightning also struck several buildings in that town. One last microburst was discovered at Little Falls, Herkimer County. The wind with this one was clocked at 90 mph, bringing a large number of trees and power lines down in and around the town. The wind also imploded a barn in Little Falls. A wind gust of 70 mph was measured in New Paltz, Ulster County. Shortly after the storm, an estimated 75,000 customers were without power in the immediate Capital Region.