On the evening of December 23rd, a strong cold front worked across eastern New York and adjacent Western New England. A line of showers associated with this front produced a brief period of strong winds and heavy rain that impacted portions of eastern New York.
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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.
The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.
On the evening of December 23rd, a strong cold front worked across eastern New York and adjacent Western New England. A line of showers associated with this front produced a brief period of strong winds and heavy rain that impacted portions of eastern New York. Widespread power outages were reported in Saratoga, Albany, and Rensselaer Counties, and minor flooding was reported in the cities of Mechanicville, Rensselaer and Schenectady. Storm related power outages across New York State exceeded 14,000 customers, and many outposts throughout the region reported rainfall totals of at least 1.5 inches, much of which fell in about an hour's time.
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 Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 23, 4:30 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 430 PM EST THU DEC 23 2004 PRODUCTS COMING OUT SHORTLY. A LITTLE LATE...BUT NOT AS BAD AS YESTERDAY. .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE REGION EARLY THIS EVENING. BEHIND THE FRONT IT WILL TURN COLDER AS ARCTIC AIR BEGINS TO POUR BACK INTO THE REGION. IT WILL STAY QUITE COLD RIGHT THROUGH THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. ANOTHER SECONDARY WEAKER ARCTIC FRONTAL BOUNDARY MIGHT BRING A TOUCH OF SNOW CHRISTMAS EVE, MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF ALBANY. OTHERWISE IT WILL BE DRY FOR MOST AREAS. && .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)...THE COLD FRONT IS MOVING A LITTLE FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED AND SHOULD CLEAR ALBANY BY 23Z. THE 18Z ETA SEEMS TO HAVE IT PEGGED PRETTY WELL. THE AIR DOES NOT COLD ESPECIALLY FAST INITIALLY BEHIND THE FRONT...BUT THEN...AS A SECONDARY TROUGH MOVES THROUGH LATER TONIGHT THE TRUE ARCTIC AIR (MODIFIED) WILL COME IN. RADARS SHOW VERY THIN LINE OF HEAVIER RAIN...BUT NO THUNDER...AS THE FEATURE WILL MOVE THROUGH. SO FAR...THE ONLY CONFIRMATION OF HIGH WIND WAS AN OBSERVATION TAKEN FROM GORE MOUNTAIN IN WARREN COUNTY...WHERE SUSTAINED WINDS HAD BEEN BLOWING IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. ALL THE WINDS APPEAR TO BE ON THE ELEVATED TERRAIN AND WILL LIKELY STAY THAT WAY. NEVERTHELESS...WILL STAY THE COURSE AND KEEP AND ORIGINAL HIGH WIND WARNING GOING UNTIL IT EXPIRES AS FEW POWERFUL GUSTS COULD TRANSLATE INTO THE VALLEY RIGHT ALONG THE FRONT. WENT PRETTY CLOSE TO MAV GUIDANCE FOR LOWS. A SEASONABLY COLD DAY ON TAP FOR XMAS EVE. THE WNW FLOW OVER THE LAKES WILL GET ENOUGH FOR SNOW...BUT THE SHEAR REMAINS HIGH...AND THE SUBSIDENCE INVERSION IS LOW...SO WE THINK ANY LAKE EFFECT WILL BE MINISCULE. WILL INCLUDE SLIGHT CHANCES TO OUR WEST ONLY ON FRIDAY. WENT WITH MAV NOS. XMAS EVE NIGHT...WITH THE WEAK SECONDARY ARCTIC BOUNDARY COMES OUR LAST RAY OF HOPE OF SNOW FOR XMAS (AT LEAST FROM ALBANY AND POINTS SOUTH AND EAST). THIS FRONT COULD CONVERGE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND PERHAPS PRODUCE ENOUGH ASCENT TO PRODUCE A DUSTING TO AN INCH OF SNOW. THE AIR WILL BE VERY COLD AND NOT PRONE TO HOLDING MOISTURE. IT IS A SLIM CHANCE BUT A CHANCE NO LESS. && .LONG TERM (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...STILL LOOKS COLD AND DRY FOR CHRISTMAS. NOT THE BRUTAL COLD WE HAVE ENDURED FROM THOSE PAST LIKE 1980/83/80). THIS AIR MASS STILL DOES NOT LOOK AS NASTY AS THE ONE TO START OFF THE WORKWEEK. HIGH PRESSURE SHOULD SETTLE IN AND GIVE US A QUITE TIME WITH SLOOOW MODERATING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. OF COURSE...THERE ARE ALWAYS THE OL FLIES IN THE OINTMENT. THE ETA INDICATES SOME SORT OF ADDITIONAL TROUGHING ALONG THE GREAT LAKES THAT COULD PRODUCE SOME LIGHT SNOW ON LATE SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY N AND W OF ALBANY. THE GFS AND CANADIAN GLOBAL DO NOT SHOW THIS FEATURE...WHICH MIGHT MEAN THE ETA IS UP TO USUAL OVER PARAMETERIZATION SCHEMES. FOR NOW...WILL GO WITH THE GFS...BUT WILL STILL INTRODUCE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS N AND W OF ALBANY FOR LATER SUNDAY. THE TELECONNECTION REMAINS WHERE IT HAS MUCH OF THE WINTER THUS FAR...+NAO AND NOW BACK TO -PNA...ALLOWING FOR A RIDGE TO POP UP IN THE EAST...AT LEAST BRIEFLY. HOWEVER...ALL MODELS AT LEAST HINT OF A BACK DOOR FRONT SLIDING THROUGH BY WEDNESDAY...WITH THE CAN/EUROPEANS THE STRONGEST. FOR NOW...HAVE DECIDED TO STICK WITH TAMER GFS GIVEN THE +NAO/-PNA REGIME. EITHER WAY...MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY LOOKS QUITE. BY THURSDAY...AS A WARM FRONT MOVES BACK TOWARD US...THE THREAT OF PRECIPITATION INCREASES. MIGHT BE WARM ENOUGH FOR MOSTLY RAIN ONCE MORE. && .AVIATION...STILL LOOKING FOR LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR UNTIL EARLY THIS EVENING. AFTER THE FRONT SLIPS THROUGH...ANY LOW LEVEL TURBULENCE WILL BECOME MORE MECHANICAL. WITH GUSTY WINDS...SHIFTING TO THE NW UP TO AROUND 30 KTS OR BETTER...THERE COULD BE A LOT OF THAT. STILL A SMALL CHANCE THAT SOME GUSTS COULD EXCEED 50 KTS WITH THE FRONT...BUT ONLY ON AN ISOLATED BASIS AND VERY BRIEFLY THIS EVENING. CONDITIONS WILL RAPIDLY IMPROVE BACK TO VFR LATER TONIGHT AS DRIER AIR MOVES IN...AND WILL STAY THAT WAY THROUGH FRIDAY. && .HYDROLOGY...THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RESPONSES TO SOME OF OUR CREEKS DUE TO THE RAIN...BUT GENERALLY RAINFALL HAS BEEN A BIT LOWER THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. SOME 1-INCH PLUS VALUES OVER THE CATSKILLS...WITH GENERALLY QUARTER TO HALF AN INCH ELSEWHERE. MIGHT BE ANOTHER QUICK QUARTER INCH WITH THE FRONT...BUT THAT SHOULD BE ABOUT IT AND IT LOOKS AS WE DODGE THE BULLET. AFTER THE FRONT PASSES...IT TURNS COLDER AND DRIER THROUGH PERIOD FROM FRIDAY THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 240200-CTZ001 MA....HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 240200-MAZ001-025 NY...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 232300- NYZ032-033-038-041-042-047-051>053-058-059-061-063-064-082>084 HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 230200-NYZ054. VT...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 240200-VTZ013-014. && SHORT TERM/LONG TERM...HWJIV AVIATION...GG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 700 AM EST THU DEC 23 2004 NYZ032-033-038-041-042-082>084-VTZ013-014-241200- BENNINGTON VT-HAMILTON NY-NORTHERN FULTON NY-NORTHERN HERKIMER NY- NORTHERN SARATOGA NY-NORTHERN WARREN NY-SOUTHEAST WARREN NY- SOUTHERN HERKIMER NY-SOUTHERN WASHINGTON NY-WESTERN WINDHAM VT- 700 AM EST THU DEC 23 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS...UPPER HUDSON VALLEY AND SOUTHERN GREEN MOUNTAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY... A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM. REFER TO WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR DETAILS. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON. REFER TO THE HIGH WIND WARNING PRODUCT FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF ICE ACCUMULATION THIS MORNING AND FORWARD WIND MEASUREMENTS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AS WELL AS ANY REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES...TREE LIMBS OR POWERLINES. NYZ039-040-043-048>050-VTZ015-241200- EASTERN SCHENECTADY NY-EASTERN WINDHAM VT-MONTGOMERY NY- NORTHERN WASHINGTON NY-SOUTHERN FULTON NY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA NY- WESTERN SCHENECTADY NY- 700 AM EST THU DEC 23 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EASTERN MOHAWK VALLEY...NORTHERN WASHINGTON AND EASTERN WINDHAM COUNTIES. .DAY ONE...TODAY A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM. REFER TO WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF ICE ACCUMULATION. CTZ001-MAZ001-025-NYZ047-051>054-058-059-061-063-064-241200- EASTERN ALBANY NY-EASTERN COLUMBIA NY-EASTERN GREENE NY- EASTERN RENSSELAER NY-EASTERN ULSTER NY-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE MA- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD CT-SCHOHARIE NY-SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE MA- WESTERN ALBANY NY-WESTERN GREENE NY-WESTERN RENSSELAER NY- WESTERN ULSTER NY- 700 AM EST THU DEC 23 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN CATSKILLS...MUCH OF THE MID HUDSON VALLEY INTO THE CAPITAL DISTRICT...LITCHFIELD HILLS AND THE BERKSHIRES. .DAY ONE...TODAY A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT. REFER TO THE HIGH WIND WARNING PRODUCT FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS...FORWARD WIND MEASUREMENTS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AS WELL AS ANY REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES...TREE LIMBS OR POWERLINES. CTZ013-NYZ060-065-066-241200- EASTERN DUTCHESS NY-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD CT-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY- WESTERN DUTCHESS NY- 700 AM EST THU DEC 23 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DUTCHESS...WESTERN COLUMBIA AND SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD COUNTIES. .DAY ONE...TODAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK TROOP C 1233PM THU DEC 23 2004 #2 0000002 000 CBSO WLSR APTS 05582 FILE 28 BROOME COUNTY 911 CENTER NY003013P DEC 23-04 TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROAD CONDITION REPORT FOR DATE: 12/23/04 TIME: 12- PM COUNTY(S) AFFECTED: BROOME COUNTY TOWN OF SANFORD HIGHWAY(S) AFFECTED: COUNTY ROUTE 249--AKA RIVER ROAD 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF OQUAGUA LAKE ROAD CONDITION(S): AS A RESULT OF EXTENSIVE RAIN AND FAILURE OF THE ROADWAY CAUSING THE ROADWAY TO SLIDE INTO THE WEST BRANCH OF THE DELAWARE RIVER THE ROADWAY IS CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC AND A STATE OF EMERGENCY EXISITS PROHIBITING TRAVEL OR ACCESS TO THAT SECTION OF RIVER ROAD UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE ANTICIPATED RETURN TO NORMAL CONDITION: / / TIME: - M SUGGESTED ALTERNATE ROUTE(S): ACCESS FOR HOUSES 1-715 USE HALE EDDY ROAD TO RIVER RD //HOUSES ABOVE 717 USE OQUAGUA LAKE ROAD TO RIVER ROAD IT IS UNKNOWN WHEN CONDITIONS WILL RETURN TO NORMAL AUTH ASWAD,MICHAEL DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES WROBLESKI 1228HRS OPER - WROBLESKI,RICHARD M 1232
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
316 PM EST THU DEC 23 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0211 PM HIGH SUST WINDS NORTH CREEK 43.70N 73.99W
12/23/2004 45 MPH WARREN NY PARK/FOREST SRVC
REPORTED AT GORE MOUNTAINTOP...3500 FEET
&&
OKEEFEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
In the town of Schodack Center, power lines down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, December 2004
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: 5425923.