On July 21, a cold front in central New York at daybreak moved slowly into southeastern New York. Thunderstorms formed in Litchfield County during the late-afternoon and early evening hours and several became severe, producing damaging wind gusts and large hail.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 July 21, a cold front in central New York at daybreak moved slowly into southeastern New York. Thunderstorms formed in Litchfield County during the late-afternoon and early evening hours and several became severe, producing damaging wind gusts and large hail.
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 Jul 21, 2:26 PM EST, 3 hours 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 326 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...LOTS OF SHOWERS ON THE SCOPE TODAY...BUT WARM MID LEVELS (-7 H500 TEMPS) PRECLUDING LOTS OF VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT. COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH AREA EVIDENT IS WIND SHIFT LINE AND SLIGHT FALL OFF IN DEW POINTS BEHIND FRONT. KEPT A SLIGHT CHANCE NORTHWEST AND CHANCE SOUTHEAST FOR A POPUP SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM INTO THE EVENING. ACTIVITY SHOULD DIE OUT AFTER SUNSET. BOTH GFS AND WRF BRING SYNOPTIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM INTO AREA TOMORROW. GFS HAS FASTER ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES FOR SYSTEM AND WED BE DONE WITH PRECIPITATION BY EARLY SUNDAY. WRF SLOWER AND LINGERS PRECIP THROUGH SUNDAY. DC BOYS SAY THAT GFS HAS SUPPORT FROM OTHER NATIONAL MODELS SO LOOKING FOR A WET SATURDAY BUT A DESCENT SUNDAY. RAINFALL FROM STORM ON SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE ON THE HEAVY SIDE IN BOTH GFS AND WRF...WITH WIDESPREAD 1 TO 3 IN AMOUNTS...BUT RAIN LOOKS STRATIFORM AND SPREAD OVER 12 TO 24 HOURS SO DONT ANTICIPATE ANY FLOODING PROBLEMS AT THIS TIME. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...GFS INDICATES GENERALLY DRY...TYPICAL SUMMER WEATHER FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY WITH THE CHANCE OF AN ISOLATED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM TUESDAY. POSSIBLY MORE UNSETTLED FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH ON WEDNESDAY AND MOVES BACK NORTHWARD ON THURSDAY. SOME INDICATION IN 12Z/GFS THAT WARM FRONT MAY HANG UP AS A BACK DOOR TYPE FRONT LEADING TO CONTINUED CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY. THATS A LONG WAY OFF...AND THE CRYSTAL BALL HAS BEEN A LITTLE FOGGY LATELY. && .AVIATION...(THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY)...GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS INTO THIS EVENING...EXCEPT FOR MVFR TO BRIEFLY IFR WITH WIDELY SCATTERED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS INTO THIS EVENING. THE CONVECTION WILL WEAKEN WITH SUNSET AND LOSS OF HEATING. WINDS WILL WEAKEN TONIGHT AND WITH ATMOSPHERE SO MOIST FOG TO FORM...MVFR TO LOCALLY IFR ESPECIALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. CLOUDS WILL OVERSPREAD AREA SATURDAY MORNING AS WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES EASTWARD ALONG STALLED BOUNDARY TO THE SOUTH. WIDESPREAD RAIN WILL FOLLOW FOR THE AFTERNOON WITH MVFR CONDITIONS. && .HYDROLOGY...WIDESPREAD 1 TO 3 INCH RAINS SATURDAY WILL PRODUCE LARGE RISES ON THE RIVERS. NEAR BANK FULL RISES ARE LIKELY WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAIN FALLS. THE RAIN LOOKS TO BE OF THE STEADY VARIETY AND OF 12 TO 24 HOUR DURATION...SO NOT ANTICIPATING FLOODING AT THIS TIME. THE RAIN COULD BE LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. NY...NONE. VT...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1234 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-VTZ013>015-221200- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-BENNINGTON-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 1234 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LITCHFIELD COUNTY IN CONNECTICUT...BERKSHIRE COUNTY IN MASSACHUSETTS AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING...AS A COLD FRONT PRESSES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS. THE STORMS WILL MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... THERE IS A CHANCE OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY NIGHT. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-082>084-221200- NORTHERN HERKIMER-HAMILTON-SOUTHERN HERKIMER-SOUTHERN FULTON- MONTGOMERY-NORTHERN SARATOGA-NORTHERN WARREN-NORTHERN WASHINGTON- SCHOHARIE-WESTERN SCHENECTADY-EASTERN SCHENECTADY- SOUTHERN SARATOGA-WESTERN ALBANY-EASTERN ALBANY- WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-WESTERN GREENE- EASTERN GREENE-WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN ULSTER- EASTERN ULSTER-WESTERN DUTCHESS-EASTERN DUTCHESS-NORTHERN FULTON- SOUTHEAST WARREN-SOUTHERN WASHINGTON- 1234 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING...AS A COLD FRONT PRESSES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE HUDSON RIVER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... THERE IS A CHANCE OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY NIGHT. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 331 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 NYZ058>061-212000- EASTERN COLUMBIA NY-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY-EASTERN GREENE NY- WESTERN GREENE NY- 331 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN COLUMBIA AND GREENE COUNTIES... AT 328 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WHICH WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES WEST OF CHATHAM TO 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF CATSKILL...AND ARE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... CHATHAM AND ATHENS BY 350 PM. HIGH FALLS...HUDSON AND CATSKILL BY 355 PM. PHILMONT...CLAVERACK...6 MILES NORTHWEST OF LIVINGSTON AND 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF CLERMONT BY 400 PM.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 442 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 CTZ001-013-212130- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD CT-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD CT- 442 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY... AT 438 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LITCHFIELD...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TORRINGTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... LITCHFIELD GREEN AND LITCHFIELD BY 450 PM EDT TORRINGTON BY 500 PM EDT THOMASTON BY 520 PM EDT TERRYVILLE BY 530 PM EDT SND
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 457 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 NYZ060-061-212130- EASTERN COLUMBIA NY-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY- 457 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN COLUMBIA COUNTY... AT 453 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LIVINGSTON...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CATSKILL...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... ANCRAM AND 9 MILES WEST OF COPAKE BY 530 PM EDT SND
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 526 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 CTZ001-013-212200- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD CT-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD CT- 526 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY... AT 522 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LITCHFIELD...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH OF TORRINGTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... THOMASTON BY 540 PM EDT TERRYVILLE BY 550 PM EDT HEAVY RAIN FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM MAY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND SOME MINOR FLOODING OF ROADSIDE CULVERTS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SND
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 542 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 MAZ025-212215- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE MA- 542 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY... AT 537 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...SMALL HAIL...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SANDISFIELD... OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GREAT BARRINGTON...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. SND
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
652 PM EDT FRI JUL 21 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0532 PM TSTM WND DMG HARWINTON 41.77N 73.06W
07/21/2006 LITCHFIELD CT TRAINED SPOTTER
POWER LINES DOWN
0532 PM HAIL HARWINTON 41.77N 73.06W
07/21/2006 E0.88 INCH LITCHFIELD CT TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
HJOHNSONThe Albany radar (KENX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:00 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
An emergency manager reported that wires were blown down in Sharon.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Connecticut in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, July 2006
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: 5521603.