Strong upper level dynamics, well ahead of a cold front approaching from the west, triggered widespread showers and thunderstorms across the southern and western Adirondacks, the Mohawk Valley, the Lake George and Saratoga region, the upper Hudson Valley, and portions of the Capital Region during the late afternoon hours of Saturday July 26th, into the early morning hours of Sunday July 27th.
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.
Strong upper level dynamics, well ahead of a cold front approaching from the west, triggered widespread showers and thunderstorms across the southern and western Adirondacks, the Mohawk Valley, the Lake George and Saratoga region, the upper Hudson Valley, and portions of the Capital Region during the late afternoon hours of Saturday July 26th, into the early morning hours of Sunday July 27th.
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 26, 2:43 PM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 343 PM EDT SAT JUL 26 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL MOVE GRADUALLY ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY ACROSS THE LOWER AND MID HUDSON VALLEY SUNDAY. THE BEST CHANCE FOR STORMS SUNDAY WILL BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CAPITAL DISTRICT. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/... A COLD FRONT BOUNDARY WILL APPROACH AREA THIS EVENING AND GRADUALLY MOVE ACROSS AREA OVERNIGHT AS FLOW ALOFT IS PARALLEL. A SHORT WAVE MOVING THROUGH LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER REGION WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR CONVECTION TONIGHT. CONVECTION WILL WEAKEN THIS EVENING WITH LOSS OF HEATING. WILL ADD ENHANCED WORDING OF GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL FOR THIS EVENING. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... THE COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS MODELED TO REACH THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA...LOWER TO MID HUDSON VALLEY BY SUNDAY MORNING THEN BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY DURING THE DAY. ANOTHER SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH THE LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER REGION DURING THE DAY. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER CONTINUES TO HAVE THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY. THE BOUNDARY LAYER SHOULD BECOME MODERATELY UNSTABLE WITH HEATING WITH DEW POINTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. EVEN THOUGH MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL BE RATHER WEAK...THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE FAVORABLE FOR SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY PARTICULARLY DURING THE PEAK HEATING OF THE DAY. SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH LOSS OF HEATING AND SHORT WAVE MOVING OFF TO THE NORTH AND EAST CONVECTION WILL DIMINISH. MONDAY SCATTERED DIURNAL CONVECTION AS ANOTHER SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE THROUGH LONGWAVE TROUGH. THE UPPER TROUGH AXIS WILL FINALLY SHIFT OFF TO THE EAST MONDAY NIGHT AND THE AREA WILL BE UNDER NORTHWEST FLOW TUESDAY. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... BEST CHANCES FOR PRECIP ON WED AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES FROM THE GREAT LAKES ACROSS OUR CWA...AND OFF LONG ISLAND BY THU AM. LOW PRESSURE WAVE HANGS BACK BEHIND LOW AND ONLY GRADUALLY BREAKS DOWN...TO PROVIDE CONTINUED CHC FOR PRECIP THROUGH THU...PARTICULARLY FOR DAYTIME PERIODS. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WAVE SHOULD BEGIN A BRIEF DRY PERIOD FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY...BUT DAYTIME HEATING COULD BRING MORE SCATTERED SHOWERS ON SATURDAY. WENT WITH HPC GUIDANCE...WITH TEMPS AVERAGING SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN THE MEX MOS. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS ACROSS THE EASTERN NY TAF SITES AS HIGH CLOUDS CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST. A MID LEVEL CAP WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK DUE TO HEIGHT FALLS FROM AN APPROACHING SHORTWAVE...SO SOME SURFACE BASED CU WILL ALSO DEVELOP BY MID AFTN. AHEAD OF THE SHORTWAVE...SHOWERS AND EVEN A THUNDERSTORM...AS CURRENTLY DEPICTED ON THE REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC ACROSS W NY...SOUTHERN ONTARIO...AND LAKE ONTARIO...WILL PRESS TOWARDS THE REGION. THIS ACTIVITY COULD BEGIN TO AFFECT KGFL AS EARLY AS 22Z. HAVE INCLUDED A CB QUALIFIER AFTER THIS TIME AS WELL TO ACCOUNT FOR THE POSSIBILITY THE ACTIVITY COULD HAVE SOME THUNDER. ACTIVITY WILL PRESS SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE EVENING...POTENTIALLY AFFECTING KALB AND KPOU AS WELL. WITHIN ANY OF THE SHOWER/T-STORM ACTIVITY...VSBYS COULD BE REDUCED TO MVFR LEVELS FOR A BRIEF TIME. THE FRONT SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH OF A PUSH TO MOVE THROUGH KGFL AND MAYBE EVEN KALB AS WELL TONIGHT...ENDING THE THREAT FOR CONVECTION THERE. HOWEVER...THE FRONT LOOKS TO HANG UP AROUND KPOU...SO ASIDE FROM THE THREAT FOR SHOWERS AND T-STORMS THIS EVENING...THERE WILL ALSO BE A THREAT FOR ACTIVITY ON LATE SUNDAY MORNING INTO SUN AFTN...WHEN THE RETURN OF HEATING WILL HELP DEVELOP MORE SHOWERS AND STORMS ALONG THE SLOW MOVING SURFACE BOUNDARY. SOME CLEARING OUT BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT ACROSS THE NORTH...IN ADDITION TO ANY LOW LEVEL MOISTURE SUPPLIED BY SHOWER ACTIVITY...AS WELL AS LIGHT WINDS...WILL HELP SOME RADIATIONAL FOG DEVELOP TONIGHT...MAINLY AT KGFL. IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE THERE AFTER 04Z. A LIGHT BREEZE SHOULD PREVENT ANY IFR FOG FROM OCCURRING AT KALB...SO WOULD ONLY EXPECT A BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR FOG THERE AT WORST FOR THE SECOND PORTION OF THE OVERNIGHT. LINGERING CLOUDS ALONG THE BOUNDARY SHOULD ALSO HELP PREVENT KPOU FROM DROPPING TO IFR TONIGHT AS WELL. OUTLOOK... TONIGHT AND SUN...VFR/MVFR SCT SHRA/TSRA. MON...VFR/MVFR...CHC SHRA/TSRA. TUE...VFR...NO SIG WX. WED...VFR/MVFR SCT SHRA/TSRA. && .FIRE WEATHER... A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL MOVE GRADUALLY ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY ACROSS THE LOWER AND MID HUDSON VALLEY SUNDAY. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL RECOVER TO 90 TO NEAR 100 PERCENT TONIGHT AND DROP TO MINIMUMS OF 45 TO 55 PERCENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH 55 TO 65 PERCENT ACROSS THE TERRAIN. SOUTHWEST TO WEST GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 MPH TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. && .HYDROLOGY... RIVERS WERE BACK TO NORMAL OR CONTINUE RECEDE FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL. SCATTERED CONVECTION TONIGHT AND SUNDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES AND MOVE ACROSS AREA. MODELS DIFFER ON AMOUNT AND LOCATION OF RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THE GFS PUTS HEAVIER RAIN NORTH LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHILE THE THE NAM12 DEVELOPS HEAVIER RAIN LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT FROM THE MID HUDSON REGION EAST INTO CONNECTICUT. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN CONVECTION WITH PWAT AMOUNTS EXPECTED TO APPROACH 1.5 INCHES THIS EVENING. BASIN-WIDE PRECIP AMOUNTS WILL BE A LOT LESS...PROBABLY 0.3 TO 0.7 INCH. SINCE THE GROUND IS FAIRLY MOIST SOME RUNOFF WILL OCCUR FROM AREAS OF HEAVIER RAINFALL. RISES MAY OCCUR ON SOME STREAMS AND MINOR LOCALIZED FLOODING MAY OCCUR. THIS AFTERNOON THE LEVEL OF HINCKLEY RESERVOIR WAS ONLY ABOUT 6 INCHES BELOW THE SPILLWAY ELEVATION OF 1225 FEET...HAVING COME UP A LITTLE OVER FOUR FEET IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. RAIN FROM THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL PROBABLY BOOST THE INFLOW ENOUGH TO BRING IT AN INCH OR TWO OVER BY SUNDAY EVENING. HINCKLEY NORMALLY SPILLS OVER DURING THE SPRING AND THE AMOUNT EXPECTED TO SPILL WILL BE BARELY NOTICEABLE DOWNSTREAM. ADDITIONAL ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE MON...WITH MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE WED INTO THU WITH THE APPROACH OF ANOTHER COLD FRONT. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...IAA NEAR TERM...IAA SHORT TERM...IAA LONG TERM...HELLER AVIATION...FRUGIS FIRE WEATHER...IAA HYDROLOGY...RCK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 421 PM EDT SAT JUL 26 2008 NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-082>084-VTZ013>015-271100- 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- NORTHERN FULTON-SOUTHEAST WARREN-SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON- WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 421 PM EDT SAT JUL 26 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE GREATER CAPITAL DISTRICT...WESTERN ADIRONDACKS...LAKE GEORGE SARATOGA REGION...MOHAWK AND SCHOHARIE VALLEYS AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE STRONG PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. AN ISOLATED STORM MAY BECOME SEVERE PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND OR LARGE HAIL THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OR GREATER. THE STORMS WILL MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MPH. OTHERWISE...NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY. ALTHOUGH THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS...SOME MAY CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ058>061-063>066-271100- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-WESTERN GREENE-EASTERN GREENE-WESTERN COLUMBIA- EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER-WESTERN DUTCHESS- EASTERN DUTCHESS- 421 PM EDT SAT JUL 26 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN CATSKILLS...MID HUDSON VALLEY...BERKSHIRES AND LITCHFIELD COUNTY. .DAY ONE...LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT... NON SEVERE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON SUNDAY. DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL GREATER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER ARE THE THREATS. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MPH. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 326 PM EDT SAT JUL 26 2008 NYZ039-041-082-262030- NORTHERN SARATOGA NY-SOUTHERN FULTON NY-NORTHERN FULTON NY- 326 PM EDT SAT JUL 26 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN FULTON COUNTY MOVING INTO SARATOGA COUNTY... AT 322 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 50 MPH WINDS AND POSSIBLE HALF INCH HAIL. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR JOHNSTOWN...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... MAYFIELD BY 355 PM EDT BROADALBIN BY 405 PM EDT 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CRANBERRY CREEK BY 415 PM EDT 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NORTHAMPTON BEACH PUBLIC CAMPGROUND BY 430 PM EDT RAINFALL RATES MAY APPROACH A HALF AN INCH IN AN HOUR FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM. WASULA
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</html>The Albany radar (KENX), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:55 UTC.
10 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and wires were reported down in Charlton due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Nickel to quarter size hail was reported in Schenectady during a thunderstorm.
Penny size hail was reported in Niskayuna during a thunderstorm.
Trees were reported down on Rosendale Road in Niskayuna during a thunderstorm.
Penny size hail was reported in Halfmoon during a thunderstorm.
Trees were reported down on power lines in Canajoharie due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Nickel size hail was reported in Melrose during a thunderstorm.
Nickel to quarter size hail fell in North Ballston Spa during a thunderstorm.
Quarter size hail fell in Schenectady during a thunderstorm.
A 62 year old male, and a 59 year old woman were injured by lightning at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center near Saratoga Springs at approximately 1830 LST. Lightning struck a tent pole near the food concession area, as both individuals were touching a wall. The injuries were minor, and both were taken to Saratoga Hospital.
Heavy rainfall from training thunderstorm clusters resulted in minor flooding of the Adirondack Northway, or Interstate 87, near and immediately south of Exit 9 on the southbound side in Clifton Park. The left lane on the southbound side was briefly closed due to ponding of water.
Nickel size hail fell in Niskayuna during a thunderstorm. The hail covered the ground.
Penny size hail fell in Cohoes during a thunderstorm.
Nickel size hail fell in Waterford during a thunderstorm.
Two trees were reported down in Grafton due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Quarter size hail was reported in Troy during a thunderstorm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, July 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: 126987, 126989, 126991, 126992, 126994, 126995, 126996, 126998, 127000, 127028, 127032, 127001, 127003, 127005, 127006, 127008.