Flash Flood and Hail in New York, July 23, 2008

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in New York, July 23, 2008
Start: 2008-07-23T12:48
End: 2008-07-23T15:50
Location: New York

July 23, 2008 · NWS BUF · 9 events in 5 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed across the area as an upper level low was centered over the Great Lakes region. Storms developed rapidly along an outflow boundary from the Niagara Peninsula to Erie county.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: 0
Property damage: $119,000
Crop damage: $15,000
Events: 9

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 BUF wrote it up.

Thunderstorms developed across the area as an upper level low was centered over the Great Lakes region. Storms developed rapidly along an outflow boundary from the Niagara Peninsula to Erie county. The thunderstorms that develop produced damaging winds estimated to 60 mph and hail measured up to one inch in diameter. Scattered power outages were reported. The storms also dropped several inches of rain in a short span of time over parts of Rochester resulting in flash flooding. Nearly one foot of water across the road resulted in the closing of portions of Interstates 490 and 390 for several hours right at the start of the evening rush hour.

What forecasters said that day

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 Buffalo, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 23, 12:21 PM EST, 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 23, 12:21 PM EST, 27 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
121 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
THE MASSIVE UPPER LOW WHICH HAS CAUSED THE UNSETTLED WEATHER OF
LATE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN LAKES THURSDAY AND FINALLY LIFT
OFF TO QUEBEC BY FRIDAY. THIS WILL KEEP THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY BEFORE A DRY MILD
DAY ON FRIDAY. ANOTHER WEAK FRONT WILL CROSS THE LAKES ON SATURDAY
AND BRING A RETURN TO UNSETTLED CONDITIONS...WHILE SLOW
IMPROVEMENT WILL FOLLOW EARLY NEXT WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN
FROM THE OHIO VALLEY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
UPPER TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL AND LOWER LKS CLOSES OFF AND REMAINS
NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH TONIGHT. A BROAD SFC LOW REMAINS OVER NY
AND PA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLENTY OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE WITH
SPOKES OF ENERGY ROTATING AROUND THE LOW WILL TOUCH OFF PERIODS OF
SHWRS/TSTMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES
ARE QUITE HIGH FROM 1.25 TO ALMOST 2 INCHES SO AIR IS QUITE JUICY.
SOME TSTMS WILL  PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.

THE MULTIPLE MID LEVEL IMPULSES ROTATING AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE
GREAT LAKES TROUGH SHOULD ALLOW TSTMS TO INCREASE IN
COVERAGE/INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING WITHIN A
MOIST/UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE AREA. CLOUD
COVER/PRECIPITATION MAY TEND TO LIMIT DESTABILIZATION TO A
DEGREE...BUT POCKETS OF LOCALLY STRONGER INSOLATION OVER THE WESTERN
COUNTIES...THE MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER...AND COOLING MID LEVEL
TEMPERATURES SUGGEST POCKETS OF INSTABILITY WITH CAPES OF 700-1200
J/KG BY MID AFTERNOON. SPC HAS ENTIRE CWA IN SLGT RISK FOR SEVERE
TSTMS TODAY WITH BOWS/SUPERCELLS CAPABLE OF DAMAGING WINDS/HAIL.
LKLY/CAT POPS FROM WEST TO EAST LOOK GOOD FOR TODAY AND WILL
CONTINUE WITH LKLY TO CAT POPS FROM THE GENESEE VALLEY EAST WITH CHC
POPS IN THE WEST. WILL TAPER POPS OFF FROM WEST TO EAST LATER
TONIGHT.

CHANCE POPS WILL LINGER ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA ON THURSDAY AS THE
UPPER TROUGH AND LOW MOVE WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION. ANY BREAKS
IN THE CLOUD COVER WILL ONLY HELP TO DESTABILIZE THE LOWER
ATMOSPHERE AND PRODUCE SCATTERED TSRA WITHIN THE GENERAL COVERAGE OF
SCATTERED SHOWERS. TEMPS WILL REMAIN A LITTLE BELOW NORMAL UNDER THE
CLOUD COVER AND SCATTERED PRECIP.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...
CUT OFF LOW OVER EASTERN NEW YORK AT THE START OF THE PERIOD WILL
LIFT NORTHWARD INTO QUEBEC BY FRIDAY AND TAKE THE THREAT FOR
CONVECTION WITH IT. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL WORK INTO THE AREA
FRIDAY AND BRING A BREAK IN PRECIPITATION...BEFORE THE NEXT TROF
WORKS DOWN ACROSS THE AREA ON FRIDAY WITH A RENEWED THREAT OF
CONVECTION. 850 MB TEMPS OF 16C FRIDAY SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS TO BREAK
80 OVER MOST SPOTS...THEN COOL TO THE M-U 70S ON SATURDAY WITH
COOLER MID LEVEL AIR WORKING IN ALONG WITH MORE CLOUDINESS.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
GFS/HPC GRAPHICS SHOW HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY BUILDING EAST FROM
THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH THIS PERIOD BUT WE WILL STILL BE IN A
GENERAL WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WITH MINOR RIPPLES MOVING
ALONG IT. WILL KEEP 30 POPS IN FOR SUNDAY WITH A MORE DISTINCT
SHORT WAVE...THEN LOWER POP TO 20 MONDAY AND 10 TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY...BUT CONFIDENCE FAIRLY LOW. STILL...IT LOOKS TO BE LESS
UNSETTLED THAN THIS WEEK. TEMPS WILL AVERAGE A DEG OR TWO BELOW
NORMAL...AVERAGING IN U70S TO NEAR 80.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE LOWER LKS REGION COMBINED WITH
ABUNDANT MOISTURE (HIGH DEW PTS) WILL KEEP UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER
THE REGION THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH AN INCREASING THREAT OF
SHWRS/TSTMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES BY MIDDAY ESPECIALLY FROM THE
GENESEE VALLEY EASTWARD. CONDITIONS SHOULD LOWER TO MVFR/IFR AT
TIMES ESPECIALLY FROM THE GENESEE VALLEY EASTWARD. THE ACTIVITY
SHOULD TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING BUT LINGER THROUGH
06Z AT LEAST EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. THE UPPER LOW WILL TRACK ACROSS
THE AREA ON THURSDAY WITH VFR/MVFR CIGS AND AREAS OF MVFR VSBYS IN
PRECIP.

STRONGER WIND GUSTS AND SOME HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH TSTORMS.

AREAS OF FOG ARE AGAIN EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT WHICH WILL LOWER
CONDITIONS TO MVFR WITH IFR OR LOWER ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN
TIER AND EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO.

OUTLOOK...
THURSDAY...VFR/MVFR IN SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA.
FRIDAY...VFR.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...VFR/MVFR IN SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA.

&&

.MARINE...
NO MARINE HEADLINES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

LOOK FOR GENERAL LIGHT WINDS TO CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY WITH FLOW
TENDING WESTERLY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE NEXT FRONTAL PASSAGE
LOOKS TO BE SATURDAY BUT OVERALL WINDS SHOULD REMAIN GENERALLY WESTERLY
AT MODERATE SPEEDS THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

&&

.BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NY...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...SFM
NEAR TERM...WCH
SHORT TERM...SFM
LONG TERM...SFM
AVIATION...WCH
MARINE...SFM/WCH

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 23, 3:55 AM EST, 8 hours 53 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
455 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

NYZ001>008-010>014-019>021-085-240900-
NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-OSWEGO-JEFFERSON-LEWIS-
NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA-
CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-SOUTHERN ERIE-
455 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEW
YORK.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY AND INTO THIS EVENING.
THE MAIN THREATS ARE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES...
AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF

LEZ020-040-041-LOZ042>045-062>065-SLZ022-024-240900-
UPPER NIAGARA RIVER AND BUFFALO HARBOR-
LAKE ERIE NEARSHORE WATERS FROM RIPLEY TO DUNKIRK-
LAKE ERIE NEARSHORE WATERS FROM DUNKIRK TO BUFFALO-
LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM THE NIAGARA RIVER TO HAMLIN BEACH-
LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM HAMLIN BEACH TO SODUS BAY-
LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM SODUS BAY TO MEXICO BAY-
LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM MEXICO BAY TO THE SAINT LAWRENCE
RIVER-
LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM THE NIAGARA RIVER TO HAMLIN BEACH-
LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM HAMLIN BEACH TO SODUS BAY-
LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM SODUS BAY TO MEXICO BAY-
LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM MEXICO BAY TO THE SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER-
SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER FROM CAPE VINCENT TO OGDENSBURG-
SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER FROM OGDENSBURG TO SAINT REGIS-
455 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE ERIE...LAKE
ONTARIO AND SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY AND INTO THIS EVENING.
THE MAIN THREATS ARE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES...
AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF

JJP

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 23, 7:24 AM EST, 5 hours 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
824 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0150 AM     HAIL             HENRIETTA               43.07N 77.61W
07/23/2008  E1.00 INCH       MONROE             NY   PUBLIC

0150 AM     HAIL             HENRIETTA               43.07N 77.61W
07/23/2008  E1.00 INCH       MONROE             NY   PUBLIC

0320 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N CATO                43.19N 76.58W
07/23/2008                   CAYUGA             NY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES AND WIRES DOWN

0330 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NW CLYDE              43.10N 76.90W
07/23/2008                   WAYNE              NY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WIRES DOWN

0345 AM     HAIL             5 S FARMINGTON          42.93N 77.32W
07/23/2008  E1.50 INCH       ONTARIO            NY   PUBLIC

0400 AM     TSTM WND DMG     PHOENIX                 43.23N 76.30W
07/23/2008                   OSWEGO             NY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE AND WIRES DOWN

0400 AM     TSTM WND DMG     PHOENIX                 43.23N 76.30W
07/23/2008                   OSWEGO             NY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES AND WIRES DOWN

0400 AM     FLASH FLOOD      PHOENIX                 43.23N 76.30W
07/23/2008                   OSWEGO             NY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES AND WIRES DOWN

&&

SMCLAUGH

Special weather statement, Jul 23, 12:06 PM EST, 42 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
106 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

NYZ007-231800-
JEFFERSON NY-
106 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008

...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE AREA...

* AT 106 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A
  LINE EXTENDING ABOUT FORT DRUM TO HENDERSON HARBOR...AND MOVING
  NORTHWEST AT 14 MPH.

* STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  EVANS MILLS AT 110 PM EDT...
  WATERTOWN AT 115 PM EDT...
  PERCH RIVER AT 130 PM EDT...
  CHAUMONT AT 140 PM EDT...
  LA FARGEVILLE AT 155 PM EDT...

SPOTTERS BETWEEN WATERTOWN AND CARTHAGE REPORTED A WALL CLOUD WITH
WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS LINE.  BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR FUNNEL
CLOUDS...LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN AS THIS LINE MOVES TO THE
NORTHWEST.

ZAFF

The radar

The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 11 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Erie

When: July 23, 12:48 PM EST
Where: Erie County, 1.71 mi NE of Willow Ridge Estates
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 43.040, -78.780

Hail, Erie

When: July 23, 12:55 PM EST
Where: Erie County, 0.86 mi NW of South Wales
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.710, -78.580

Hail, Niagara

When: July 23, 12:55 PM EST
Where: Niagara County, Raymond
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 43.100, -78.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Erie

When: July 23, 1:00 PM EST
Where: Erie County, 1.71 mi NW of Getzville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.040, -78.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee

When: July 23, 1:50 PM EST
Where: Genesee County, 1.23 mi SW of Pavilion Center
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $12,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 42.890, -78.040

Hail, Wyoming

When: July 23, 2:14 PM EST
Where: Wyoming County, 1.47 mi SSE of Lagrange
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.780, -78.010

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 23, 2:45 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, 0.69 mi N of Honeoye Falls Arpt
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.960, -77.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 23, 2:58 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, 0.69 mi N of Gates Center
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $12,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.160, -77.700

Flash Flood, Monroe

When: July 23, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Monroe County, 1.37 mi NE of Gates Center to 1.21 mi SSW of Barnard
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 43.163, -77.679

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, July 2008

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 129491, 129492, 129493, 129494, 129495, 129496, 129497, 129498, 129499.