A cold front moved across the area Saturday night, July 11th, triggering thunderstorms across the southern Adirondacks and Lake George area during Saturday evening into early Sunday morning.
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 cold front moved across the area Saturday night, July 11th, triggering thunderstorms across the southern Adirondacks and Lake George area during Saturday evening into early Sunday morning.
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 11, 8:25 PM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 925 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT ACCOMPANIED BY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN ON SUNDAY AND REMAIN OVER THE REGION INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...A DISTURBANCE IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/... AS OF 920 PM EDT...SEVERAL CLUSTERS OF SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED TSTMS HAVE REDEVELOPED ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION...WITH ADDITIONAL CONVECTION UPSTREAM ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL NYS. IN ADDITION...MORE TSTMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG/JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...CURRENTLY APPROACHING THE EXTREME WESTERN ADIRONDACKS. A POTENT CYCLONICALLY CURVED UPPER LEVEL JET APPEARS TO BE ENHANCING UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE/DYNAMICS ACROSS THE REGION...RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL CONVECTION...DESPITE WANING SFC BASED INSTABILITY. WE EXPECT ADDITIONAL CLUSTERS OF SHOWERS/TSTMS TO DEVEOP AND PROPAGATE E OVERNIGHT...ESP THROUGH MIDNIGHT ACROSS NORTHERN/CENTRAL AREAS...AND JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ALTHOUGH SEVERE THREAT APPEARS MINIMAL DUE TO LACK OF SFC BASED INSTABILITY...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS...AND SOME BACK BUILDING OF STORMS COULD OCCUR...IN ADDITION TO FREQUENT LIGHTNING. WE HAVE TAILORED POPS ACCORDINGLY...WITH DECREASING TREND FROM NW TO SE AFTER MIDNIGHT...WITH NIL POPS BY DAYBREAK. OTHERWISE...ONLY SOME MINOR TWEAKS TO TEMPS/DEWPTS BASED ON RECENT HOURLY TRENDS. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #570 WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. A COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES WITH VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE ROTATING THROUGH BASED OF UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES. THE LINE OF CONVECTION MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS NEW YORK DOES NOT LIKE AS IMPRESSIVE AS DID EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE UPDRAFT GROWTH HAS BEEN LIMITED WITH THE STORMS ACROSS OUR AREA. CAN SEE ADDITIONAL CONVECTION FIRING TO THE WEST OF LAKE ONTARIO AND ERIE JUST AHEAD OF THE MAIN COLD FRONT WHERE AIRMASS GOT SUNSHINE AND DESTABILIZE. THIS CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN THIS EVENING. WILL KEEP THUNDER IN GRIDS UNTIL FRONT PASSES. CONTINUE TO TAPER OFF POPS AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE GFS APPEARS TO BE HAVING FEEDBACK ISSUES AND HOLDS ONTO QPF ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTION OF FORECAST AREA TOO LONG OVERNIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AT THE SURFACE WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN ON SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...ALOFT UPPER LOW MOVES SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS EASTERN CANADA. ON MONDAY...A SHORT WAVE WILL ROTATE ABOUT THE BASED ON THE LOW AND WITH DAYTIME HEATING CAN RULE OUT ISOLATED CONVECTION. THE UPPER LOW WILL LIFT NORTHEAST MONDAY NIGHT. A COUPLE OF CHILLY NIGHTS ARE ON TAP FOR THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY NIGHT. EXPECTING LOWS IN THE MID 40S TO LOWER 50S. NORMAL HIGHS FOR ALBANY FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE AROUND 60 DEGREES. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT REGARDING THE LONG WAVE PATTERN WITH TROUGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION AND NORTHEAST. HOWEVER...THERE ARE LARGE DIFFERENCES IN THE DETAILS WITH POSITION AND TIMING OF SYSTEMS. HIGH PRESSURE WITH DRY WEATHER FOR TUESDAY THEN UNSETTLED WEATHER FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES AND MOVES ACROSS REGION. AT THIS TIME...THE BEST CHANCES FOR WET WEATHER ARE EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION /01Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 720 PM EDT...A BAND OF SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED TSTMS IS MOVING ACROSS THE TERMINALS...AND SHOULD MOVE E OF THE TERMINALS BETWEEN 00Z-01Z. THIS HAS BROUGHT A PERIOD OF MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS...MAINLY FOR VSBYS. WE EXPECT A BRIEF DECREASE IN SHOWER/TSTM ACTIVITY OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO AT THE TERMINALS...BEFORE ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SHOWERS/TSTMS REDEVELOP BETWEEN 03Z-07Z/SUN AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES. IN ADDITION...A PERIOD OF MVFR/IFR VSBYS COULD OCCUR BETWEEN 01Z-03Z...GIVEN MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER AND SLIGHT DECREASE IN WINDS. FOR LATER TONIGHT...WE EXPECT CONDITIONS TO BECOME MAINLY VFR...ALTHOUGH SOME LINGERING MVFR CIGS ARE POSSIBLE PRIOR TO 12Z. FOR SUNDAY...EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE S TO SW AT 5-10 KT TONIGHT...THEN SHIFT INTO THE W AROUND DAYBREAK WITH THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE...WITH SPEEDS OF 8-12 KT ON SUNDAY. THERE COULD BE SOME WIND GUSTS OF 15-20 KT SUN AFTERNOON...ESP AT KALB DUE TO FUNNELING EFFECTS DOWN MOHAWK RIVER VALLEY. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS POSSIBLE THROUGH MIDNIGHT AT KGFL AND KPOU GIVEN STRONG WINDS AROUND 2000-3000 FT AGL OF 30-40 KT...WHILE SFC WINDS DIMINISH TO LESS THAN 10 KT. OUTLOOK... SUN PM-TUE NGT...MVFR FOG POSS SUN NGT...OTRW VFR...NO SIG WX. WED/THU...CHC VFR/MVFR -SHRA. && .FIRE WEATHER... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT ACCOMPANIED BY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN ON SUNDAY AND REMAIN OVER THE REGION INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER...A DISTURBANCE IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL MOVE OVER THE REGION MONDAY. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL RECOVER TO 90 TO NEAR 100 PERCENT TONIGHT AND FALL TO MINIMUMS OF 30 TO 40 PERCENT SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS PARTICULARLY UP THE HUDSON VALLEY WILL WEAKEN THIS EVENING...AND SHIFT TO THE WEST TO NORTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. SUNDAY...NORTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS INTO THE 20S. && .HYDROLOGY... LINE OF CONVECTION WILL MOVE ACROSS AREA TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL IS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS. THE STORMS ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS EASTWARD. HOWEVER...LOCALIZED URBAN AND OR SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. THE HEAVY RAIN IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE WIDESPREAD ENOUGH TO CAUSE PROBLEMS ON THE LARGER RIVERS. MAINLY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE WEATHER WILL TURN UNSETTLED FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES AND MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. AT THIS TIME...OUR NEXT BEST CHANCES FOR RAIN ARE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FOR DETAILS ON SPECIFIC AREA RIVERS AND LAKES...INCLUDING OBSERVED AND FORECAST RIVER STAGES AND LAKE ELEVATIONS...PLEASE VISIT THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ GRAPHS ON OUR WEBSITE. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...NONE. NY...NONE. MA...NONE. VT...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...IAA NEAR TERM...KL/IAA SHORT TERM...IAA LONG TERM...IAA AVIATION...HELLER/KL FIRE WEATHER... HYDROLOGY...IAA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 616 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-121100- 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-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 616 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 624 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 NYZ047-051>053-058>060-112300- WESTERN ALBANY NY-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY-EASTERN GREENE NY- WESTERN GREENE NY-SCHOHARIE NY-WESTERN RENSSELAER NY- EASTERN ALBANY NY- 624 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN SCHOHARIE...ALBANY...COLUMBIA...GREENE AND RENSSELAER COUNTIES... AT 620 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...HEAVY RAIN AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PRESTON HOLLOW...OR ABOUT 15 MILES NORTH OF HUNTER...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... WESTERLO BY 635 PM EDT 6 MILES SOUTH OF FEURA BUSH BY 650 PM EDT SELKIRK...RAVENA AND NEW BALTIMORE BY 655 PM EDT CASTLETON-ON-HUDSON AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF VALATIE BY 700 PM EDT KGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 921 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 NYZ032-033-120200- HAMILTON NY-NORTHERN HERKIMER NY- 921 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN HAMILTON AND HERKIMER COUNTIES... AT 918 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL... FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 24 MILES NORTHWEST OF BIG MOOSE TO 44 MILES WEST OF MCKEEVER...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 28 MILES NORTHWEST OF OLD FORGE TO 31 MILES WEST OF OLD FORGE TO 48 MILES NORTHWEST OF HINCKLEY...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF BIG MOOSE BY 1000 PM EDT THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER... PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS. KGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1010 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 NYZ032-033-120315- HAMILTON NY-NORTHERN HERKIMER NY- 1010 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN HAMILTON AND HERKIMER COUNTIES... AT 1009 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...WINDS AROUND 50 MPH... FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 11 MILES NORTH OF LAKE EATON CAMPGROUND TO 6 MILES WEST OF BIG MOOSE TO 32 MILES WEST OF MCKEEVER...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 18 MILES NORTHWEST OF NEWCOMB TO 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF OLD FORGE TO 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF HINCKLEY...AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... BIG MOOSE BY 1020 PM EDT LAKE EATON CAMPGROUND BY 1030 PM EDT FORKED LAKE PUBLIC CAMPGROUND BY 1035 PM EDT BROWN TRACT POND CAMPGROUND...ALGER ISLAND PUBLIC CAMPGROUND...OLD FORGE AND MCKEEVER BY 1040 PM EDT NICKS LAKE CAMPGROUND AND INLET BY 1045 PM EDT THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER... PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS. JAK/KGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1042 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 NYZ032-033-038-120330- HAMILTON NY-NORTHERN HERKIMER NY-SOUTHERN HERKIMER NY- 1042 PM EDT SAT JUL 11 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT HAMILTON AND NORTHERN HERKIMER COUNTIES THROUGH 1130 PM EDT... AT 1041 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL... WINDS AROUND 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM RAQUETTE LAKE TO NICKS LAKE CAMPGROUND TO MCKEEVER TO 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MCKEEVER...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 17 MILES NORTHEAST TO OLD FORGE TO 17 MILES NORTHWEST OF HINCKLEY...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... GOLDEN BEACH CAMPGROUND BY 1050 PM EDT LEWEY LAKE CAMPGROUND AND OHIO BY 1125 PM EDT KL
The Albany radar (KENX), 90 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:40 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were reported down in Mohawk due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Multiple trees were reported down in Little Falls due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Trees and wires were reported down in Days Rock due to strong thunderstorm winds.
One large tree was reported down on Green Island in Lake George at the ranger station due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Multiple trees were reported down on Shelving Rock Road around Log Bay in Lake George due to strong thunderstorm winds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, July 2009
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: 172703, 172704, 172705, 173341, 173342.