Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in New York, June 26, 2002

Name: Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in New York, June 26, 2002
Start: 2002-06-26T17:15
End: 2002-06-26T17:40
Location: New York

June 26, 2002 · NWS OKX · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

As severe thunderstorms moved across the region, they produced high winds, frequent and dangerous lightning strikes, and heavy rain. High winds downed many trees and power lines across the region.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 14
Property damage: $500,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 OKX wrote it up.

As severe thunderstorms moved across the region, they produced high winds, frequent and dangerous lightning strikes, and heavy rain. High winds downed many trees and power lines across the region. The dangerous combination of heavy rain, high winds, and lightning produced flash floods and widespread power outages due to fallen trees and power lines across the northeast Bronx, including City Island. Additionally, at least 4 cars were crushed by fallen trees in the lower Pelham Gardens area.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS New York, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 26, 1:20 PM EST, 3 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 26, 1:20 PM EST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
220 PM EDT WED JUN 26 2002

HIGHLY UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE WITH MSAS LI/S LESS THAN -9 ACROSS
INTERIOR AREAS AND BUFKIT CAPES IN EXCESS OF 2500 J/KG. FIRST
IMPULSE APPROACHING AREA TRIGGERING AN AREA OF ORGANIZED CONVECTION
ACROSS NE PA ...NRN NJ...AND THE LWR HUDSON VLY. SCT ACTIVITY ALSO
BREAKING OUT ACROSS THE NY METRO AREA WITH PULSE SEVERE CELLS. SPC
WATCH ISSUED FOR MOST OF FORECAST AREA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LONG
ISLAND.

LEE TROF AND WEAK IMPULSES AT THE SRN EDGE OF THE WESTERLIES
EXPECTED TO KEEP CONVECTION GOING INTO THE EVENING. MAINLY PULSE
SEVERE EVENT WITH MODERATE CAPES AND LI/S AND LIMITED UPPER
DYNAMICS. SOME HEIGHT FALLS THIS EVENING MAY INCREASE THE MID LEVEL
FLOW...AIDING THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS.

MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH MASS FIELDS. QPF APPEARS TO BE
OVERDONE TEMPORALLY...AS IT IS SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AND
INTO THU.  ONCE FIRST IMPULSE SWINGS BY...CONDITIONS SHOULD SETTLE
DOWN LATE TONIGHT.  SIMILAR TIMING FOR THU AS UPPER TROUGH SWINGS
INTO THE LOWER GREAT LAKES AND ONCE AGAIN AIDES CONVECTION ALONG THE
PREFRONTAL TROUGH. THIS TIME AROUND THOUGH...MODERATE INSTABILITY
WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY COOLING ALOFT AND STRONG MID LEVEL
WINDS...SUGGESTIVE OF A POTENTIAL SQUALL LINE TOWARD EVENING THU.
CONVECTION SHOULD CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS FRI BEFORE
FROPA AROUND 12Z.

UPPER TROF AXIS SWINGS THROUGH THE REGION BY 00Z SAT WITH SFC HI
PRESSURE BUILDING IN FOR A PLEASANT WEEKEND.

MADE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO NGM MOS GUIDANCE...SPECIFICALLY TO THU MAX
TEMPS WHICH SEEM TOO HIGH BASED ON CLOUD COVER.  FRI MAX TEMPS ALSO
BUMPED UP WITH NW FLOW AND WEAK COLD ADVECTION.

MARINE...WINDS AND SEAS WILL INCR BUT ARE EXPECTED TO RMN BLO SCA
CRIT.

.OKX...
CT...NONE.
NJ...NONE.
NY...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.

The radar

The Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 57 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nassau

When: June 26, 5:15 PM EST
Where: Nassau County, Jericho
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.783, -73.533

Police reported that strong winds knocked over several trees.

Lightning, Nassau

When: June 26, 5:15 PM EST
Where: Nassau County, Bethpage
Injuries: 14 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.732, -73.585 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Stewart Avenue in Bethpage. It quickly ignited a fire that spread from the attic down and caused the roof to collapse. "The Bethpage Fire Chief said 14 fire fighters were injured, half of them during a partial roof collapse. Seven fire fighters hurt in the collapse suffered burns and bruises from falling debris. The others were felled by heat exhaustion. All of these fire fighters were taken to hospitals for treatment. Ten fire departments assisted Bethpage in fighting this fire.

Thunderstorm Wind, Suffolk

When: June 26, 5:30 PM EST to 5:40 PM EST
Where: Suffolk County, Huntington
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.833, -73.400

A spotter reported an estimated 58 MPH wind gust near the intersection of Route 110 and Jericho Turnpike near Huntington at 6:30 pm. Police reported that strong winds knocked down several trees and power lines in Northport and Melville at 6:40 pm.

Lightning, Suffolk

When: June 26, 5:30 PM EST
Where: Suffolk County, Melville
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 40.941, -72.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck an electrical transformer along Route 110 in Melville. It also struck houses in Melville and Deer Park.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, June 2002

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: 5309816, 5309818, 5309817, 5309819.