Thunderstorms developed in a southerly flow of warm humid air ahead of an approaching cold front. The late afternoon thunderstorms produced gusty winds estimated around 60 mph across parts of the Niagara Frontier and Western Southern Tier.
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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 BUF wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed in a southerly flow of warm humid air ahead of an approaching cold front. The late afternoon thunderstorms produced gusty winds estimated around 60 mph across parts of the Niagara Frontier and Western Southern Tier. Trees and power lines were downed by the winds. Power outages were reported in Lewiston, Colden, Ransomville and Elma. A significant amount of damage occurred at Fredonia Central Schools in Fredonia. Power poles were snapped. At the ball fields the concrete walls of two dugouts were blown over. The wall and garage door of a concrete block storage building were blown in. Additional damage occurred nearby as several large trees were uprooted and the wind peeled back a section of the metal roof of a building.
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 May 3, 2:35 PM EST, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY 335 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2008 .SYNOPSIS... SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. THERE WILL BE A LINGERING CHANCE OF A SHOWER EARLY SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO...THEN HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA WITH COOLER DRY WEATHER. THE WEATHER LOOKS FAIRLY PLEASANT FOR THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF MAY WITH SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES AND MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS. THE ONLY REAL SHOWER THREAT DURING THE WEEK WILL BE TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE NEXT FRONT. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... RAIN SPREAD OVER THE AREA FROM THE GENESEE VALLEY WESTWARD DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON AND SHOULD PUSH TOWARD THE EAST SHORE OF LAKE ONTARIO DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON. LIGHTNING HAS BEEN SPARSE OVER OHIO, BUT THERE IS A CHANCE IT COULD DEVELOP OVER OUR AREA IN THE LATE AFTERNOON PRIME HEATING TIME. TEMPERATURES HAVE WARMED INTO THE MID 70S IN THE GENESEE VALLEY, AND THERE HAS BEEN FAIR AMOUNT OF SUN EAST OF ROCHESTER. IT LOOKS LIKE THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE WITH THE SQUALL LINE PASSAGE AROUND 22Z AT BUFFALO, 00Z AT ROCHESTER AND 03Z AT WATERTOWN, THOUGH THE THREAT WILL DIMINISH RAPIDLY WITH SUNSET. LOW LEVEL SHEAR SHOWS THERE IS A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR ROTATION WITH POSSIBLE HIGH WINDS...AND A TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT COMPLETELY, THOUGH THE CHANCES ARE TOO SLIGHT TO MENTION AT THIS TIME. THE FRONT FINALLY PUSHES THROUGH LATE TONIGHT WITH THE PASSAGE OF A SHORT WAVE THROUGH THE UPPER TROUGH, BUT BOTH THE NAM AND GFS SHOW ONLY CHANCE POPS IN THE COOLEST PART OF THE DAY. SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE FRONT WILL DRY OUT THE ATMOSPHERE WITH SUN BREAKING OUT MID DAY SUNDAY, BUT 850 MB TEMPERATURES DROP TO NEAR ZERO AND SURFACE TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN COOL IN THE 50S. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... COOL HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT WITH DRY AIR AND LIGHT WINDS. NAM AND GFS ARE SHOWING A DRY COLD FRONT TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION ON MONDAY...POPS ARE IN THE TEENS TO LOW 20S SO WILL EXCLUDE ANY CHANCE OF PRECIP. BOTH SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY NIGHT WILL BE CHILLY...WITH FROST THREAT IN COLDER VALLEYS OF THE SOUTHERN TIER AND EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO. MID AND HIGH CLOUDS TRAILING THE SECONDARY COLD FRONT SHOULD CLEAR OUT AFTER MIDNIGHT AND ALLOW RADIATIONAL COOLING. CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING AS A WARM FRONT STARTS TO LIFT NORTHWARD ALONG THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE AREA. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS LATE IN THE DAY ON TUESDAY...ONLY FOR THE WESTERNMOST COUNTIES. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... WED STILL LOOKS A BIT UNSETTLED WITH WEAKENING FRONT CROSSING THE AREA. MAINTAINED CHANCE POPS WHICH ARE BELOW GMOS LIKELY POPS. THURS AND FRI LOOK VERY PLEASANT AGAIN WITH HIGH BUILDING SOUTHWARD ACROSS ONTARIO AND SAINT LAWRENCE VALLEY. WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON AN EAST WEST FRONT AND ITS ASSOCIATED MOISTURE LURKING OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. GMOS AND HPC POPS SHOW CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE REGION THU NIGHT AND FRIDAY AS A SURFACE LOW TRACKS EASTWARD ACROSS PA/VA...BUT STILL QUITE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. HIGH PRESSURE BUILD BACK IN FOR NEXT SATURDAY WITH SEASONABLE TEMPERATURE TREND CONTINUING. && .AVIATION /20Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 1030Z...EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS WITH CEILINGS 5 TO 10K FEET THIS AFTERNOON, BUT SHOWERS MOVING IN FROM THE WEST WILL LOWER CEILINGS TO MVFR OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. A COLD FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING THE REGION FROM THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME SCATTERED CONVECTION TO DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT ACROSS THE FAR WEST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...THEN A SQUALL LINE WILL LIKELY FORM ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL PUSH EASTWARD... THIS AFTERNOON...EVENTUALLY REACHING THE FAR WESTERN TAF SITES AROUND 20-21Z...KROC AROUND 00Z...AND THE NORTH COUNTRY /INCLUDING KART/ AROUND 02Z-03Z THIS EVENING. THIS WILL BRING A 3-4 HOUR LONG PERIOD OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO ALL SITES DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR IFR CONDITIONS/WIND GUSTS TO 35KTS TO ACCOMPANY ANY THUNDERSTORMS. BEHIND THE LEADING SQUALL LINE...GENERAL MVFR TO LOW VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT...WITH AT LEAST LOW RISK OF SHOWERS CONTINUING UNTIL THE FRONT CROSSES THE AREA. OUTLOOK... SUNDAY...MVFR CIGS IMPROVING TO VFR. MONDAY...VFR. TUESDAY...VFR. WEDNESDAY...MVFR IN SCATTERED SHOWERS. && .MARINE... COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE LAKES TONIGHT WILL BRING NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS...THEN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN WINDS ON SUNDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE TRAILING THE COLD FRONT PUSHED ACROSS THE EASTERN LAKES. WESTERLIES AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS WILL BUILD WAVES TO NEAR 4 FEET OVER MID LAKE ONTARIO TO THE EASTERN SHORE...NEARING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. WINDS THEN DIMINISH AS THE AXIS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE AREA IS CENTERED OVER THE EASTERN LAKES. WINDS WILL VARY GENERALLY FROM WEST TO SOUTH THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...THEN BECOME SOUTHEAST TO EASTERLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE APPROACH OF A WARM FRONT AND BACK TO WESTERLY ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...WCH NEAR TERM...APB SHORT TERM...WCH LONG TERM...WCH AVIATION...APB MARINE...WCH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY 504 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 2008 NYZ001>008-010>014-019>021-085-040915- NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE-WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-OSWEGO-JEFFERSON-LEWIS- NORTHERN ERIE-GENESEE-WYOMING-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CHAUTAUQUA- CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY-SOUTHERN ERIE- 504 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SHARP COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON OVER WESTERN AREAS AND SPREAD EASTWARD THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THEM MAY CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS, TORRENTIAL RAINS, FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 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-SLZ022-024-040915- 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- 504 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE ERIE...LAKE ONTARIO AND SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SHARP COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON OVER LAKE ERIE AND WESTERN LAKE ONTARIO AND SPREAD EASTWARD ACROSS THE REST OF LAKE ONTARIO THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THEM MAY CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS, TORRENTIAL RAINS, FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 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 SFM
The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:09 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
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, 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: 108842, 108832, 108830, 108833, 108831, 108835.