On July 29, an east-to-west cold front north of the St Lawrence Valley at daybreak moved into northern New England by the afternoon. A severe thunderstorm formed over the Berkshires late in the afternoon.
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 29, an east-to-west cold front north of the St Lawrence Valley at daybreak moved into northern New England by the afternoon. A severe thunderstorm formed over the Berkshires late in the afternoon. The thunderstorm blew down several large limbs in North Adams.
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 29, 3:30 PM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 430 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 .SHORT TERM UPDATE /THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT/...UPDATED FORCAST FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 655/656 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING. HAVE ENHANCED WORDING FOR DAMAGING WINDS/LARGE HAIL FOR THIS PERIOD. OTHER ITEMS UNCHANGED. && .PREVIOUS DISUSSION ISSUED AT 101 PM EDT TODAY... .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... REGION REMAINS IN WNW TO NW FLOW AT 500 HPA...BUT ONE THATS OVER THE TOP OF A VERY WARM 500 HPA RIDGE...AND PRODUCING THAT WONDERFUL MID TO LATE SUMMER CONUNDRUM OF WARM AIR COMING IN FROM THE NW. NO ITS NOT AUSTRALIA. LATE THIS AFTN CAPES ARND 1500 J/KG SOME PATCHY CVA...A WEAK TROF ACRS THE N TIER OF NY AND ELEVATED TERRAIN WILL TRIGGER SCT AFTN EVENING TSTMS. PRIMARILY A PULSE DAY...WITH CURRENT TD A STRAY SVR CANT BE RULED OUT. WITH JET MAXES MOVING ALONG IN FLOW AND AREAS OF DIV DROPPING SE TNGT THE THREAT OF TSTMS WILL LINGER INTO THE NIGHT. MDLS EVEN ALLUDE TO A POTENTIAL MCS DEVELOPMENT JUST W OF FCA. SUNDAY WITH NO BOUNDARYS OR SHRT WVS WONDERING THRU AND SOME MAYBE EVEN MIDLEVEL WARMING IF AN MCS PASSES TO OUR WEST...AFTN AND EVNG TSTMS WILL BE ISOLATED...LARGELY FOCUSED OFF TERRAIN AND LOCAL EFFECTS. SUNDAY NIGHT THE 500 HPA RIDGE BUILDS E FM MIDWEST/GRTLKS AND WMFNT OF THE HOTTEST AIR PUSHES NE THRU NY AND NEW ENG. THE NAM HOLDS OFF ANY TSTMS WITH THIS SURGE OF WARM AIR TILL MONDAY NIGHT SUGGESTING ANOTHER MCS WHILE THE GFS KEEPS IT TO OUR NORTH MONDAY NIGHT. FOR NOW MONDAY LOOKS LIKE A DAY WITH MINIMAL TO NO CHC OF TSTMS...BUT VERY WARM. MONDAY NIGHT WILL CARRY CHC POPS...WITH A FEW UPSTREAM SHRT WVS DIGGING ACRS RGN...ONE MODEL CARRYING AN MCS AND THE OTHER KEEPING IT ALL TO OUR N. THE MDLS HAVE BEEN ALL OVER WITH WHICH DAYS FM SUNDAY TO TUESDAY GET A CONVECTIVE RESPONSE AND WHICH WILL BE DRY OR LOW CHC. EVERY DAY THEY REARRANGE THE POSSIBILITIES. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... THE 500 HPA RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE E SEABOARD TUESDAY...AND FCA IS WELL INTO THE WARMEST OF THE WARM SECTOR WITH WMFNT RACING INTO MAINE AND SFC LOW OVER JAMES BAY. SOME RESIDUAL CLOUDS MAY LINGER IN THE MORNING FROM WHATEVER MCS ACTIVITY OCCURRED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT...BUT OTHERWISE ITS MASSIVE SUBSIDENCE AND THE HEAT IS ON AS TEMPS SOUR WELL INTO THE 90S. OTHER THAN AN ISOLD TSTM IN THE AFTN AND EVENING...FCA WILL REMAIN UNDER THIS RIDGE THRU MUCH OF WEDNESDAY WITH YET ANOTHER BLAST FURNACE DAY. WED NT THE RIDGE DECAYS AT 500 HPA AND THE GFS BRINGS A STRONG CDFNT TO THE ST LAWRENCE VLY BY EVENING BUT THE DGEX DOESNT BRING IT THAT FAR SOUTH TILL THU MRNG. HPC PLACES IT IN THE MHWK VLY 12Z THU...IN LINE WITH THE 06Z GFS RUN...SO LATE WED NT AND THU THIS ANNA FRONT WILL MOVE STEADILY BUT SLOWLY S ACROSS THE FCA...TRIGGERING A PRETTY STRONG CONVECTIVE RESPONSE. THU NT ITS WELL SOUTH OF THE REGION WITH LINGERING SHOWERS ENDING. FRI A COOLER AND LARGE CANADIAN SFC HIGH BUILDS E FROM THE GRTLKS. BY SATURDAY THE 500 HPA RIDGE HAS REASSERTED ITSELF IN THE OHIO VALLEY AND WITH THE SFC HIGH OFFSHORE...WAA TAKES HOLD INTO THE REGION WITH INCRG HUMIDITY AND TEMPS. THIS SURE BEATS JANUARY. && .AVIATION.../18Z TODAY TO 18Z SUNDAY/... WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE POPPED OVER THE ADIRONDACK PARK AS WELL AS THE SCHOHARIE VALLEY. EXPECT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE ALBANY ROUTE WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF A THUNDERSTORMS HITTING THE KGFL TERMINAL THROUGH ABOUT 00Z. WE HAVE INCLUDED VCTS AT KGFL...WHILE ONLY CB AT THIS TIME IN KALB AND KPOU. THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...BRIEFLY DRAMATICALLY DECREASING VISIBLITY...AS WELL AS SOME GUSTY WINDS. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE MORE OF THE PULSE VARIETY. GIVEN A CROSS OVER TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 68...EXPECT IFR FOG TO FORM AT KGFL OVERNIGHT WHILE WE WILL GO WITH MVFR HZ/FOG IN THE OTHER TERMINALS. OF COURSE...IF ANY OF THE TERMINALS GET ENOUGH RAINFALL...THE FOG THREAT WILL INCREASE. MITIGATING FOG FACTORS WILL BE HIGH CLOUD DEBRIS FROM PREVIOUS CONVECTIVE AS WELL AS A LITTLE MIXINESS. MVFR STRATUS CLOUDS COULD FORM AS WELL. && .HYDROLOGY...FRIDAYS HEAVY RAINFALL PRODUCED UP TO A FOOT RISES ON SMALLER RIVERS ACROSS OUR HSA...BUT ALL REMAIN WELL WITHIN BANK. THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE MUCH MORE WIDELY SCATTERED THAN YESTERDAYS...BUT LOCAL RAINFALL UP TO AN INCH IN A SHORT TIME...COULD PRODUCE VERY LOCALIZED PONDING OF WATER AS WELL AS SHARP WITHIN BANK RISES ON SMALL CREEKS. THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINERS SHOULD DIMINISH OVERNIGHT...BUT WE WILL BE FACED WITH THE THREAT OF MORE HEAVY RAINER THUNDERSTORMS ON SUNDAY AS WELL AS TUESDAY. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. MA...NONE. NY...NONE. VT...NONE. && SNYDER/JOHNSON UPDATE...RCK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 425 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013-301100- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-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-BENNINGTON- 425 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 655 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING. PLEASE REFER TO THE WATCH STATEMENT FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THERE MAY BE A PERIOD OF EXCESSIVE HEAT BEGINNING TUESDAY AND PEAKING WEDNESDAY. HEAT INDICES MAY RISE TO BETWEEN 100 AND 110 FOR A FEW HOURS IN THE AFTERNOON DURING THIS PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ACTIVATED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... HERKIMER...HAMILTON...WARREN...WASHINGTON...FULTON...MONTGOMERY... SARATOGA...RENSSELAER...SCHOHARIE...ALBANY...SCHENECTADY... GREENE...COLUMBIA...ULSTER...DUTCHESS...BENNINGTON...BERKSHIRE... AND LITCHFIELD. VTZ014-015-301100- WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 425 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT HERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING. WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FROM WEST NORTHWEST TO EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 514 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 MAZ001-NYZ054-292145- EASTERN RENSSELAER NY-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE MA- 514 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN RENSSELAER AND BERKSHIRE COUNTIES... AT 508 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GRAFTON...OR ABOUT 11 MILES EAST OF TROY...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... NEW ASHFORD...WESTON FIELD AND WILLIAMSTOWN BY 535 PM EDT ADAMS...NORTH ADAMS...CHESHIRE AND 7 MILES WEST OF FLORIDA BY 545 PM EDT SNYDER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
541 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0410 PM TSTM WND DMG ILION 43.01N 75.04W
07/29/2006 HERKIMER NY EMERGENCY MNGR
WIDESPREAD TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0415 PM TSTM WND DMG HERKIMER 43.03N 74.99W
07/29/2006 HERKIMER NY EMERGENCY MNGR
WIDESPREAD TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
0203 PM TSTM WND DMG CHESTERTOWN 43.65N 73.80W
07/29/2006 WARREN NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE LIMB DOWN
0210 PM TSTM WND DMG SARATOGA SPRINGS 43.07N 73.78W
07/29/2006 SARATOGA NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN SARATOGA SPA STATE PARK
0500 PM TSTM WND DMG ESPERANCE 42.76N 74.26W
07/29/2006 SCHENECTADY NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
POWER LINES DOWN
&&
EDKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 542 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 NYZ052-058>061-063>065-292215- EASTERN COLUMBIA NY-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY-EASTERN GREENE NY- WESTERN GREENE NY-EASTERN ULSTER NY-WESTERN DUTCHESS NY- WESTERN ULSTER NY-EASTERN ALBANY NY- 542 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN ALBANY...COLUMBIA...GREENE...ULSTER AND DUTCHESS COUNTIES... AT 533 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FEURA BUSH TO 8 MILES NORTH OF NORTH-SOUTH LAKE CAMPGROUND TO LANESVILLE TO 25 MILES WEST OF PHOENICIA...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DELMAR TO 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF HUNTER TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HUNTER TO 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ROXBURY...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... NEW BALTIMORE...HIGH FALLS...PHOENICIA AND COXSACKIE BY 550 PM EDT WOODSTOCK...HUDSON...CATSKILL AND ATHENS BY 555 PM EDT KINDERHOOK AND VALATIE BY 600 PM EDT SNYDER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 613 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 CTZ001-NYZ060-061-063>066-292245- EASTERN COLUMBIA NY-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY-EASTERN ULSTER NY- WESTERN DUTCHESS NY-EASTERN DUTCHESS NY-WESTERN ULSTER NY- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD CT- 613 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN COLUMBIA...ULSTER...DUTCHESS AND LITCHFIELD COUNTIES... AT 604 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM PHILMONT TO RED HOOK TO LAKE KATRINE TO 9 MILES WEST OF WOODLAND VALLEY CAMPGROUND...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM HUDSON TO SAUGERTIES TO 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF KINGSTON TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF ROXBURY...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... WEST SHOKAN...RHINEBECK...PORT EWEN AND ANCRAM BY 620 PM EDT COPAKE...OLIVEBRIDGE...PINE PLAINS AND HURLEY BY 625 PM EDT STANFORDVILLE AND STAATSBURG BY 635 PM EDT SNYDER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 622 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 NYZ032-033-042-043-292315- HAMILTON NY-NORTHERN HERKIMER NY-NORTHERN WARREN NY- NORTHERN WASHINGTON NY- 622 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN HAMILTON...HERKIMER...WARREN AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES... AT 617 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 33 MILES NORTHWEST OF LAKE EATON CAMPGROUND TO 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF LAKE EATON CAMPGROUND TO 12 MILES NORTHWEST OF EAGLE POINT CAMPGROUND TO 9 MILES EAST OF ROGERS ROCK CAMPGROUND...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 41 MILES NORTH OF OLD FORGE TO 22 MILES WEST OF NEWCOMB TO 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEWCOMB TO 14 MILES NORTH OF FAIR HAVEN...AND MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... ROGERS ROCK CAMPGROUND AND LAKE EATON CAMPGROUND BY 635 PM EDT HAGUE BY 655 PM EDT FORKED LAKE PUBLIC CAMPGROUND AND EAGLE POINT CAMPGROUND BY 710 PM EDT LAKE DURANT CAMPGROUND...INDIAN LAKE...HULETTS LANDING AND NORTH CREEK BY 715 PM EDT SNYDER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
637 PM EDT SAT JUL 29 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0545 PM TSTM WND DMG ADAMS 42.63N 73.12W
07/29/2006 BERKSHIRE MA TRAINED SPOTTER
SEVERAL TREE LIMBS DOWN
&&
EDKThe Albany radar (KENX), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:43 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported that several tree limbs were blown down in Adams.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Massachusetts in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, 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: 5521615.