High Wind in New York, October 15, 2003

Name: High Wind in New York, October 15, 2003
Start: 2003-10-15T10:00
End: 2003-10-15T15:00
Location: New York

October 15, 2003 · NWS BGM · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

An intensifying low pressure system moved from the Ohio Valley through New York state early on the 15th into southeast Canada. Numerous trees and power lines were down area wide.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 18 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: 1
Property damage: $1.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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 BGM wrote it up.

An intensifying low pressure system moved from the Ohio Valley through New York state early on the 15th into southeast Canada. Numerous trees and power lines were down area wide. A few trees fell on houses and cars. Oneida County had the most damage. In Sylvan Beach the winds knocked down a tree which took down power lines onto a tractor tailer. Two nearby houses caught on fire due to the downed lines. A house in Rome and another in McConnellsville had trees fall on them. In Onondaga County in Cicero, a tree fell on a car injuring the occupant. In Otsego County in the city of Oneonta, a tree fell on a house and another tree fell on a car. In Seneca County a tree fell on a car. In Cortland County a tree fell on a Homer house. Tens of thousands of electric customers were without power. Wind gusts were mostly 40 to 50 mph with isolated gusts over 50 mph. The winds were strongest in the early afternoon. The duration and intensity of the winds surpassed the winds that occurred with the remnants of hurricane Isabel.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Cortland

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Cortland forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.595, -76.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Madison

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.913, -75.670 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Oneida

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Oneida forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.242, -75.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Onondaga

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Onondaga forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.006, -76.195 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Schuyler

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Schuyler forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.394, -76.875 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Seneca

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Seneca forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.781, -76.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Cayuga

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Cayuga forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.010, -76.574 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Oneida

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Oneida forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.242, -75.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Steuben

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Steuben forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.268, -77.384 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Tompkins

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Tompkins forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.452, -76.474 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Yates

When: October 15, 10:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Yates forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.633, -77.105 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Broome

When: October 15, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Broome forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.160, -75.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Chemung

When: October 15, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Chemung forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.141, -76.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Chenango

When: October 15, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Chenango forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.494, -75.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Delaware

When: October 15, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Delaware forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.198, -74.966 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Otsego

When: October 15, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Otsego forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.634, -75.033 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sullivan

When: October 15, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Sullivan forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.716, -74.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Tioga

When: October 15, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Tioga forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.170, -76.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, October 2003

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: 5371406, 5371408, 5371409, 5371410, 5371476, 5371477, 5371478, 5371479, 5371480, 5371483, 5371484, 5371403, 5371404, 5371405, 5371407, 5371475, 5371481, 5371482.