A low pressure system tracked northeast from the northern Great Lakes into southeast Canada on Saturday May 31st. A cold front associated with this system tracked east across eastern New York and western New England during the mid to late afternoon hours of Saturday, preceded and accompanied by scattered thunderstorms.
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.
A low pressure system tracked northeast from the northern Great Lakes into southeast Canada on Saturday May 31st. A cold front associated with this system tracked east across eastern New York and western New England during the mid to late afternoon hours of Saturday, preceded and accompanied by scattered thunderstorms.
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 May 31, 3:10 PM EST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 410 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. IT WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH COULD BE SEVERE. IN THE WAKE OF THE STORMS...COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND WITH A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF ALBANY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING/... SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL THROUGH THIS EVENING HAS COME INTO BETTER FOCUS. IMPULSE THAT MOVED THROUGH EARLIER HAS EXITED THE REGION AND PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES HAS ALLOWED FOR SOME AFTERNOON HEATING AND DESTABILIZATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE. HOWEVER...LOW LEVEL WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO WSW OVER MUCH OF THE REGION AND VERTICAL SHEAR HAS BECOME MORE UNIDIRECTIONAL. THIS WILL TEND TO FAVOR MULTICELL CLUSTERS OR LINEAR SEGMENTS WITH WIND DAMAGE THE PRIMARY THREAT. SOME MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY WITH LAPSE RATES STEEPENING. THE THREAT FOR SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT HAS DIMINISHED ALTHOUGH ORGANIZED SEVERE STORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE. IN COORDINATION WITH SPC...PREVIOUS MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR SOUTHERN COUNTIES HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO SLIGHT RISK WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE FORECAST. IN ADDITION...THEY HAVE ISSUED A MESOSCALE DISCUSSION FOR NEW YORK ABOUT MONITORING THE REGION FOR A POSSIBLE WEATHER WATCH. && .SHORT TERM /9 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... TONIGHT...PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO BE EAST OF THE REGION YET MAIN COLD FRONT AND COOLING TEMPERATURES ALOFT STILL LAG BEHIND. THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL CONVECTION STILL EXISTS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...YET OVERALL INSTABILITY WILL BE CONSIDERABLY LESS. STILL COULD NOT RULE OUT A FEW HAIL REPORTS AS WET BULB ZEROS DROP AT OR BELOW 10K FEET AND 850-500MB LAPSE RATES AT 6-6.5C/KM. DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WILL REMOVE THE THUNDER FROM THE GRIDS BUT STILL RETAIN THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS NORTHWEST OF THE MID HUDSON VALLEY AND CT. SUNDAY...COOLER AND MOIST CYCLONIC FLOW WILL PREVAIL. SOME INDICATIONS OF ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TO ROUND THE BASE OF THE TROUGH DURING THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. WILL KEEP THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS FOR THOSE LOCATIONS AND KEEP TEMPERATURES INTO THE UPPER 50S TO MID 60S FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CWA. LITTLE TRICKY WITH VALLEY LOCATIONS AS DRY/MOIST ADIABATIC DECENT FROM 825/850MB POINT TOWARD UPPER 60S TO MID 70S. THE UPPER TROF WILL EASE ITS GRIP ON THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY NIGHT WITH ONLY A SLIGHT CHANCE OR LOW CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS TO THE NORTH OF ALBANY DURING THE EVENING. AFTER THAT CLEARING SKIES WITH LOWS IN THE MID 40S TO LOW 50S. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... DUE TO IMMINENT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...DID NOT SPEND MUCH TIME ON THIS PART OF FORECAST. GENERALLY WENT WITH NATIONAL GUIDANCE (NCEP) WHICH INDICATED THE LIKELIHOOD OF A WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION EVENT FROM LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THURSDAY. AFTER THAT...A BRIEF PERIOD OF FAIR WEATHER THURSDAY NIGHT...THEN A WARM FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION FRIDAY WITH WARMER WEATHER FOR NEXT WEEKEND. && .AVIATION /20Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... CONTINUED CIGS AND VSBY PROBLEMS FROM THIS MORNINGS CONVECTION. IFR VSBYS AT KGFL AND KALB WILL IMPROVE TO VFR QUICKLY...ALTHOUGH SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN THIS AFTERNOON AT ALL TERMINALS. SOME BREAKS IN CLOUDS COULD ALLOW FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP WITH THESE SHOWERS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED SOUTH OF PENN YAN. FOR NOW...WITH STILL LOW CONFIDENCE...JUST WENT WITH THE CB. LOOK FOR A SOUTHERLY WIND TO CONTINUE...AVERAGING AROUND 10 KTS GUSTING TO OVER 20KT...ESPECIALLY AT KALB. BY EVENING...CONVECTION WILL DIMINISH ALONG WITH THE WIND. ALL TERMINALS HAVE A CHANCE OF FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT FROM MOISTURE DUE TO TODAYS PRECIP AND SENSIBLE CLOUDS CLEARING OUT..LEAVING ONLY HIGH CLOUDS THROUGH THE MORNING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR MVFR/IFR FOG WILL BE A KGLF AS WE EXPECT THE WIND TO BECOME LIGHTEST THERE. OUTLOOK... SUN-TUE...VFR...SLGT CHC OF A -SHRA...ESPECIALLY KALB NORTH. WED...MVFR...CHC OF -SHRAS PSBLY A -TSRA. && .FIRE WEATHER... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL INCREASE TO GREATER THAN 90 PERCENT BY LATER THIS EVENING AND REMAIN OVER 90 PERCENT OVERNIGHT. A COOL FLOW OF AIR AND THE CHANCE FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWERS NORTH OF THE MID HUDSON VALLEY AND NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT ON SUNDAY. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE GREATER THAN 50 PERCENT IN MOST AREAS...AND 40 TO 50 PERCENT IN THE MID HUDSON VALLEY AND LITCHFIELD COUNTY. WEST WINDS WILL BE 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUST TO BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH. && .HYDROLOGY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY AND THROUGH THIS EVENING WILL RESULT IN BASIN AVERAGE AMOUNTS OF ONLY ONE QUARTER TO HALF AN INCH WITH LITTLE RESPONSE EXPECTED FROM AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS. LOCALLY UP TO AROUND AND INCH IS POSSIBLE IN HEAVIER OR PERSISTENT THUNDERSTORMS. THIS COULD CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND PARKING AREAS WITH SOME RISES ON SMALLER STREAMS. SOMEWHAT DRIER WEATHER RETURNS SUNDAY AND MORE SO ON MONDAY WITH ANY SCATTERED SHOWERS PRODUCING VERY LIGHT ADDITIONAL QPF AMOUNTS. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...GJM NEAR TERM...GJM SHORT TERM...GJM LONG TERM...GJM AVIATION...KGS FIRE WEATHER...GJM HYDROLOGY...GJM FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/ALBANY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 614 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063-064-082>084-VTZ013- 011100- 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- NORTHERN FULTON-SOUTHEAST WARREN-SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON- 614 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING WITH THE APPROACH OF A COLD FRONT...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WITH SOME BECOMING SEVERE. THE MAIN HAZARD WILL BE WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH...AND POSSIBLY SOME LARGE HAIL. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING. INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL TRACK TO THE EAST AROUND 30 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. CTZ001-013-NYZ065-066-VTZ014-015-011100- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-WESTERN DUTCHESS- EASTERN DUTCHESS-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 614 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 406 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DUTCHESS...LITCHFIELD AND WINDHAM COUNTIES. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. WITH THE APPROACH OF A COLD FRONT...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WITH SOME BECOMING SEVERE. THE MAIN HAZARD WILL BE WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH...AND POSSIBLY SOME LARGE HAIL. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING. INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL TRACK TO THE EAST AROUND 30 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
504 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM TSTM WND DMG KINDERHOOK 42.39N 73.70W
05/31/2008 COLUMBIA NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN.
&&
HJOHNSONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
518 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0510 PM HAIL CATSKILL 42.21N 73.87W
05/31/2008 M0.88 INCH GREENE NY TRAINED SPOTTER
0510 PM TSTM WND DMG COXSACKIE 42.36N 73.81W
05/31/2008 GREENE NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
0514 PM TSTM WND DMG BUSKIRK 42.95N 73.43W
05/31/2008 RENSSELAER NY NWS EMPLOYEE
TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
&&
HJOHNSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 533 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 MAZ001-NYZ050-052>054-VTZ013-312200- WESTERN RENSSELAER NY-EASTERN RENSSELAER NY-EASTERN ALBANY NY- SOUTHERN SARATOGA NY-BENNINGTON VT-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE MA- 533 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN BENNINGTON...ALBANY...RENSSELAER... SARATOGA AND BERKSHIRE COUNTIES... AT 528 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CENTER BRUNSWICK...OR ABOUT OVER TROY...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... GRAFTON BY 545 PM EDT BERLIN BY 555 PM EDT POWNAL BY 600 PM EDT HWJIV
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 631 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 NYZ038-312300- SOUTHERN HERKIMER NY- 631 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN HERKIMER COUNTY... AT 628 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...WINDS AROUND 50 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES WEST OF FRANKFORT...OR ABOUT OVER UTICA...AND MOVING EAST AT UP TO 40 MPH. THIS STORM HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL. IT HAS WEAKENED A LITTLE BIT DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MINUTES BUT IT COULD PULSE UP AGAIN. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... ILION...FRANKFORT AND 6 MILES NORTH OF CEDARVILLE BY 640 PM EDT MOHAWK AND HERKIMER BY 645 PM EDT JORDANVILLE AND LITTLE FALLS BY 650 PM EDT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
646 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0629 PM TSTM WND DMG BECKET 42.33N 73.08W
05/31/2008 BERKSHIRE MA TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
&&
HJOHNSONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
651 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0629 PM HAIL EAST FISHKILL 41.55N 73.80W
05/31/2008 M0.88 INCH DUTCHESS NY TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
HJOHNSONThe Brookhaven radar (KOKX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:53 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A house was struck by lightning near Torrington, which started a fire inside one of the walls in the basement. The fire was extinguished by the local fire department.
The basement was badly damaged, with estimated monetary costs of $20,000 to $30,000.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Connecticut in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Connecticut, May 2008
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: 102819.