The region was under the influence of a departing upper level low and with surface heating the atmosphere became unstable enough for thunderstorm development during the mid afternoon into the early evening hours.
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.
The region was under the influence of a departing upper level low and with surface heating the atmosphere became unstable enough for thunderstorm development during the mid afternoon into the early evening hours.
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 3, 3:04 PM EST, 56 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 404 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 .SYNOPSIS... THE UPPER LOW THAT HAS PLAGUED THE REGION THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS WILL LIFT AWAY FROM THE REGION TONIGHT. ANOTHER WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MAY TOUCH OFF A SHOWER OR TWO ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY BUT MOST AREAS WILL REMAIN DRY. ANOTHER DISTURBANCE MAY BRING ANOTHER SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM TO THE AREA ON SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... PER 1KM VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY AND RADAR REFLECTIVITIES...SCT- BKN CLOUD DECK WITH EMBEDDED CONVECTION TRACKING WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE CWA. THESE CELLS ARE MOVING NEAR 20KTS WHICH CONTINUES TO LIMIT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER ONE LOCATION HENCE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH WAS CANCELLED EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. IN FACT...THUNDER POTENTIAL IS RATHER LIMITED AS THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A MID LEVEL CAP INHIBITING THE PARCELS REACHED TOWARD THE -20C LEVEL. WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING AND THE UPPER LOW CONTINUING TO BECOME FURTHER REMOVED FROM THE REGION...WE WILL DECREASE POPS THIS EVENING AND TREND EVEN LOWER OVERNIGHT. THE EXCEPTION WILL BE THE DACKS AND GREENS WHERE RESIDUAL UPSLOPE CONDITIONS AND RATHER MOIST LOW LEVELS ALONG WITH NOCTURNAL COOLING OF THE COLUMN COULD TOUCH OFF A SHOWER OR TWO. DRIER AIR IN THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS ADVECTS INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE PTCLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR MOST LOCATIONS OVERNIGHT. TEMPS SHOULD BOTTOM OUT AROUND 60F FOR MANY LOCATIONS. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND...FOR THE MOST PART...WILL BE DRY. SOME SUBTLE FEATURES MAY BRING A SHOWER OR TWO WHICH IS NOT BEING HANDLED WELL IN THE NCEP MODEL SUITE. H2O VAPOR LOOP REVEALS A WEAK SHORT WAVE JUST NORTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR THAT IS TRACKING EAST- SOUTHEAST AND WILL BECOME ENTRAINED INTO THE NEW ENGLAND TROUGH THROUGH SATURDAY. WITH THAT SAID...COMBINING THE TIMING WITH DAYTIME HEATING...CAN NOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT A SHOWER FOR THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE DACKS AND GREENS. THE LOCAL HIRES WRF REFLECTIVITY ALSO SUGGESTS THIS NOTION AND WILL PLACE LOW POPS AT THIS TIME. PERHAPS THE MOST SENSIBLE ELEMENT WILL BE THE WINDS AS RATHER TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND MIXING LAYER HEIGHTS CLIMBING TOWARD 5K FEET SHOULD MIX DOWN 20-25KT WINDS. FURTHERMORE...A LITTLE FUNNELING DOWN THE MOHAWK RIVER VALLEY MAY RESULT IN SLIGHTLY ELEVATED WIND SPEED MAGNITUDES. TRANQUIL SATURDAY NIGHT IN STORE FOR THE REGION ALTHOUGH SOME TIMING DIFFERENCES REMAIN WITH RESPECT TO NEXT SHORT WAVE FROM SOUTH CENTRAL CANADA. WILL INTRODUCE SOME VALLEY FOG OVERNIGHT AS SOUNDINGS SUGGEST WINDS DO DECOUPLE AND OUR RATHER MOIST GROUND. SUNDAY...THE AFOREMENTIONED SHORT WAVE SEEMS TO BE HANDLED RATHER WELL IN THE CANADIAN MODEL /ALSO GUIDANCE FROM HPC SUGGESTS THIS AS WELL/ WHICH BRINGS A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS THE REGION ON SUNDAY. THIS ENHANCED SURFACE CONVERGENCE AND RELATIVELY COOL TEMPS ALOFT COULD BRING AN ISOLATED SHOWER TO THE REGION. WILL INCREASE POPS TO JUST ABOVE SLIGHT CHANCE AND MONITOR TRENDS THE NEXT COUPLE OF MODEL RUNS. BY SUNDAY NIGHT...WEAK SHORT WAVE RIDGE AND RATHER FLAT SURFACE PRESSURE FIELDS SHOULD KEEP THE WEATHER TRANQUIL SUNDAY NIGHT. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... UNSETTLED WEATHER EXPECT TO CONTINUE FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD. MONDAY WILL BE AFFECTED BY LOW PRESSURE PRODUCING RAIN SHOWERS...FOLLOWED BY A SHORTWAVE PRODUCING RAIN SHOWERS WITH A SLGT CHC OF TS ON TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN TUESDAY NIGHT WITH A FEW DISTURBANCES LEADING TO A SLGT CHC OF SHOWERS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. ON THURSDAY...THE HIGH WILL MOVE SOUTH AND EAST...ALLOWING A SFC LOW TO SKIRT TO THE NORTH OF OUR AREA. THIS LOW WILL PRODUCE A SLGT CHC OF RAIN SHOWERS FOR THE NORTHERN HALF TO TWO-THIRDS OF THE FA THROUGH FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL START THE PERIOD OFF ABOUT 4-8 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...GRADUALLY INCREASING TO NEAR NORMAL BY FRIDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... EXPECTING MAINLY VFR CIGS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS FORECAST CYCLE. MVFR FOG POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT WITH THREAT OF SHRA IN AREA AND VERY MOIST GROUND AND BOUNDARY LAYER AIR...ESPECIALLY GFL...UNTIL A COLD FRONT FROM THE NORTH SLIDES ACROSS THE AIRPORTS...FINALLY BRINGING IN SOME DRIER ATMOSPHERE... BUT ALSO SOME GUSTY WEST WINDS. HAVE INCLUDED A WIND SHEAR GROUP FOR MARGINAL CONDITIONS ALB FOR THEIR MORNING FLIGHT VOLUME. CLOUDS SCATTER OUT WELL ON AMERICAS 233RD BIRTHDAY. WINDS WILL DIMINISH AFTER SUNDOWN...AND WITH THE ABUNDANT BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE FILLING IN FROM WET GROUND...VICINITY FIREWORKS WILL ONLY ADD A HAZE DIMENSION TO PROBABLE FOG FORMATION TOWARD DAYBREAK SUNDAY. OUTLOOK... SAT PM...MVFR HZ/BR LIKELY DEVELOPING. SUN-TUE...VFR...SLGT CHC PM SPRINKLES. PSBL EARLY AM MVFR BR. && .FIRE WEATHER... WET CONDITIONS WITH SATURATED GROUND IN MOST AREAS WILL HOLD THROUGH TONIGHT. SOME DRYING WILL COMMENCE THIS WEEKEND. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL RISE TO NEAR 100 PERCENT TONIGHT...AND DROP TO 40 TO 65 PERCENT ON SATURDAY AND RECOVER TO NEAR 100 PERCENT SATURDAY NIGHT. WINDS TONIGHT WILL BE WEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH...AND WEST AT 10 TO 18 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH ON SATURDAY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME LIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 5 MPH. && .HYDROLOGY... NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL LAST INTO THE EVENING BEFORE DIMINISHING WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING AND THE PASSAGE OF A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE. FLOW HAS INCREASED WHICH HAS RESULTED IN STORMS MOVING ALONG. ALSO COVERAGE OF CONVECTIVE CELLS WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS EXPECTED TO BE ONLY WIDELY SCATTERED...SO FLASH FLOODING IS NOT ANTICIPATED. THEREFORE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED. STILL...SOME BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL OCCUR WHICH COULD PRODUCE ISOLATED ONE HALF TO ONE INCH RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH POSSIBLE PONDING OF WATER IN POOR DRAINAGE LOCATIONS. RIVERS HAVE RECEDED IN WAKE OF RAINFALL FROM WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. ADDITIONAL RISES ARE UNLIKELY SINCE ANY HEAVY RAIN THROUGH THIS EVENING WILL BE ISOLATED AND NOT GREAT ENOUGH COVERAGE TO FALL OVER ENTIRE RIVER BASINS. FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY ONLY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED...WHICH WILL HAVE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF HYDRO IMPACTS. DEEP CONVECTION CONTAINING HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE UNLIKELY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AS A DRIER AND COOLER AIR MASS SETTLES IN. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IS EXPECTED NEXT WEEK...ALTHOUGH THE DETAILS ARE QUITE UNCERTAIN AS TO THE TIMING...TRACK AND DURATION OF YET ANOTHER CUT-OFF LOW THAT MAY IMPACT THE REGION. 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...BGM NEAR TERM...BGM SHORT TERM...BGM LONG TERM...KGS AVIATION...HELLER FIRE WEATHER...BGM HYDROLOGY...BGM/JPV FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/ALBANY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 408 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-041100- 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- 408 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THESE STORMS ARE NOT LIKELY TO BECOME SEVERE...ALTHOUGH SOME COULD PRODUCE HALF INCH SIZE HAIL AS WELL AS BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/ALBANY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 303 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 NYZ060-061-031945- EASTERN COLUMBIA NY-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY- 303 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTH CENTRAL COLUMBIA COUNTY THROUGH 345 PM EDT... AT 301 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR KINDERHOOK...OR ABOUT 7 MILES WEST OF CHATHAM...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... CHATHAM BY 325 PM EDT AUSTERLITZ BY 345 PM EDT KL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 325 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 NYZ063>065-032015- EASTERN ULSTER NY-WESTERN DUTCHESS NY-WESTERN ULSTER NY- 325 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN ULSTER COUNTY MOVING INTO WESTERN DUTCHESS COUNTIES... AT 324 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR OLIVEBRIDGE...OR ABOUT 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF NEW PALTZ...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... TILLSON...HURLEY AND 6 MILES NORTH OF NEW PALTZ BY 345 PM EDT PORT EWEN BY 355 PM EDT STAATSBURG...HYDE PARK AND 7 MILES NORTH OF HIGHLAND BY 405 PM EDT 6 MILES NORTH OF FAIRVIEW BY 410 PM EDT JPV
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 358 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 NYZ065-066-032045- WESTERN DUTCHESS NY-EASTERN DUTCHESS NY- 358 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN DUTCHESS COUNTY THROUGH 445 PM EDT... AT 356 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FISHKILL...OR ABOUT OVER BEACON... AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... HOPEWELL JUNCTION BY 415 PM EDT. THIS STORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF INTERSTATE 84...BETWEEN FISHKILL AND EAST FISHKILL. IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. KL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 422 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 NYZ039-041-050-032045- SOUTHERN SARATOGA NY-NORTHERN SARATOGA NY-SOUTHERN FULTON NY- 422 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN SARATOGA AND FULTON COUNTIES... AT 420 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GALWAY...OR ABOUT 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF AMSTERDAM...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... GALWAY BY 435 PM EDT ROCK CITY FALLS...6 MILES WEST OF BALLSTON SPA...6 MILES WEST OF MILTON AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF BURNT HILLS BY 445 PM EDT IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. KGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 432 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 NYZ059>061-064-065-032115- EASTERN COLUMBIA NY-WESTERN COLUMBIA NY-EASTERN GREENE NY- EASTERN ULSTER NY-WESTERN DUTCHESS NY- 432 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWEST COLUMBIA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST GREENE...EXTREME NORTHEAST ULSTER AND NORTHWEST DUTCHESS COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT... AT 430 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SAUGERTIES...OR ABOUT OVER SAUGERTIES...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... CLERMONT BY 500 PM EDT KL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 445 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 NYZ052-053-059-060-032130- WESTERN COLUMBIA NY-EASTERN GREENE NY-WESTERN RENSSELAER NY- EASTERN ALBANY NY- 445 PM EDT FRI JUL 3 2009 ...A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHEAST ALBANY...NORTHWEST COLUMBIA...EXTREME NORTHEAST GREENE AND SOUTHWEST RENSSELAER COUNTIES THROUGH 530 PM EDT... AT 443 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING...AROUND HALF INCH HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR RAVENA...OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTH OF DELMAR...AND MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... NEW BALTIMORE BY 450 PM EDT CASTLETON-ON-HUDSON BY 455 PM EDT VALATIE BY 515 PM EDT IN ADDITION TO HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. KL
The Albany radar (KENX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:58 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A man was in the backyard of his home wrapping up an extension cord when lightning either struck the ground near him or the cord.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Ulster | 2009-07-03 | 35 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
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: 172700.