A cold front moved into western Pennsylvania, with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing ahead of the boundary. Isolated reports of damaging winds occurred in northeast Pennsylvania.
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 BGM wrote it up.
A cold front moved into western Pennsylvania, with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing ahead of the boundary. Isolated reports of damaging winds occurred in northeast Pennsylvania.
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 Binghamton, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 16, 2:19 PM EST, 3 hours 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 319 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS LAKE ONTARIO WILL KEEP THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST THROUGH THIS EVENING. AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM DROPPING INTO LOWER ONTARIO, WILL BRING A COOL, BUT DRY WEATHER PATTERN TO NY AND PA THROUGH MID WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING/... LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS FIRED ALONG PRE- FRONTAL TROF. WE BELIEVE THE SEVERE THREAT WILL BE CONFINED TO STORMS ALONG AND CLOSE TO THIS PRE-FRONTAL TROF, AS STRATUS MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SHOULD STABILIZE ATMOSPHERE LATER. BEST CHANCE FOR SUPER CELLULAR CONVECTION AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE FROM FINGER LAKES TOWARD ONONDAGA AND WESTERN ONEIDA COUNTIES, WHERE LOW LEVEL SHEAR IS POTENT AND CAPES HAVE CLIMBED TO AROUND 1000 J/KG. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... MESOSCALE ANALYSIS DEPICTS A SMALL AREA OF 800-1300 J/KG CAPES DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHWESTERN NY, COINCIDENT WITH DIURNAL HEATING UNDER CLEARING SKIES. THIS BREAK IN THE CLOUDS IS MOVING NORTHEAST TOWARD THE FINGER LAKES REGION, AND WILL SOON CAUSE DESTABILIZATION OVER OUR NORTHERN FORECAST AREA. PLENTY OF CLOUDS FOLLOW IN ITS WAKE HOWEVER, AND THIS WILL MUTE CAPES SUBSTANTIALLY. RUC13 APPEARS TO BE PRODUCING A VERY REALISTIC PICTURE, GENERATING 800-1100 J/KG CAPE VALUES FROM THE CENTRAL SOUTHERN TIER UP THE LAKE PLAIN FOR THE AFTERNOON HOURS. STRONG KINEMATICS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. BRN SHEAR VALUES OF 70 TO 100 AND SR HELICITY VALUES OF 350-500 OVER MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA, ESPECIALLY THE NORTHERN HALF, SPELL OUT THE NEED FOR ADDED CONCERN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SHOULD AMPLE INSTABILITY BE REALIZED, ORGANIZED SEVERE CONVECTION IS LIKELY. THE THREAT FOR SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES WILL BE HIGHEST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING FROM THE SOUTHERN FINGER LAKES TOWARD SYRACUSE. && .SHORT TERM /8 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL MOVE EAST OF I-81 THIS EVENING AS COOLER, MORE STABLE AIR FILTERS INTO WESTERN NEW YORK. COLD FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS THE CATSKILLS AND POCONOS REGION EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, SO WE WILL KEEP A FEW SHOWERS OVER THIS AREA THROUGH ABOUT 9-10 AM. UPPER LEVEL VORTEX WILL DROP INTO ONTARIO AND QUEBEC ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, REINFORCING THE COOL/DRY AIR ADVECTION INTO NY/PA. MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE UNUSUALLY DRY FOR THIS LATE INTO MAY, SO WE WILL GO FOR MAINLY SUNNY SKIES SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE PATTERN WILL HOLD THROUGH MONDAY. WE WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR FROST/FREEZE CONDITIONS EARLY MONDAY MORNING. BL-850 TEMPS ARE ANOMALOUSLY COLD, SKIES SHOULD BE COMPLETELY CLEAR, AND WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT AFTER SUNSET. THIS WILL ALLOW RAPID NOCTURNAL COOLING WITH PROJECTED MINIMUM TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 31F AND 36F. ISOLATED COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED IN THE SHELTERED VALLEYS, PARTICULARLY TO THE EAST OF INTERSTATE-81. MONDAY WILL BE SUNNY, BUT STILL COOL. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH NEW YORK AND REACH JUST INTO PA TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING WHICH WILL BRING THE CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN SHOWERS. A RIDGE WILL BUILD IN BEHIND THE FRONT BEGINNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO GRADUALLY WARM THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. ANOTHER COLD FRONT MAY TRY TO PUSH INTO THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY BRINGING YET ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS TO THE CWA. && .AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... MOSTLY MVFR AND VFR CONDITIONS ARE IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON. THE TAFS REFLECT THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE STORMS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS REFLECTED BY THE TEMPO GROUP WITH HIGH WINDS POSSIBLE. THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE THE MAIN THREAT. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW OF THE STORMS TO HAVE PENNY TO NICKLE SIZED HAIL. THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO STABILIZE BEHIND THIS LINE OF STORMS. HOWEVER THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER SEVERE STORM THROUGH 8PM EDT THIS EVENING. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN THROUGH THE NIGHT AND BE IN PLACE TOMORROW. OUTLOOK... SAT NIGHT...EARLY EVENING RESTRICTIONS LIKELY IN THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE 03Z. MVFR/IFR FOG POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN. SUN THRU WED...VFR. && .FIRE WEATHER... NO FIRE WEATHER PROBLEMS ARE ANTICIPATED INTO SUNDAY. WITH DRY AIR AND HIGH PRESSURE FUELS WILL DRY DURING THE DAY...SUNDAY TO TUESDAY. AFTERNOON MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE AROUND 30 PERCENT SUNDAY TO TUESDAY. AFTER A WINDY DAY SUNDAY...MONDAY AND TUESDAY WILL HAVE WINDS UNDER 15 MPH. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...DJP NEAR TERM...DJP SHORT TERM...DJP LONG TERM...SLI AVIATION...SLI FIRE WEATHER...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 232 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044-171845- NORTHERN ONEIDA-YATES-SENECA-SOUTHERN CAYUGA-ONONDAGA-STEUBEN- SCHUYLER-CHEMUNG-TOMPKINS-MADISON-SOUTHERN ONEIDA-CORTLAND- 232 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 311 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS AND MAYBE SMALL HAIL. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DUE TO DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO NEAR FREEZING EARLY MONDAY...LIKELY RESULTING IN AREAS OF FROST. MORE FROST IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING WITH LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. NYZ045-046-055>057-PAZ038>040-043-044-047-072-171845- CHENANGO-OTSEGO-TIOGA-BROOME-DELAWARE-BRADFORD-SUSQUEHANNA- NORTHERN WAYNE-WYOMING-LACKAWANNA-LUZERNE-SOUTHERN WAYNE- 232 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 311 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS AND MAYBE SMALL HAIL. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DUE TO DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO NEAR FREEZING EARLY MONDAY...LIKELY RESULTING IN AREAS OF FROST. MORE FROST IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING WITH LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. NYZ062-PAZ048-171845- SULLIVAN-PIKE- 232 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS AND MAYBE SMALL HAIL. THE CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW IN THIS AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO NEAR FREEZING EARLY MONDAY...LIKELY RESULTING IN AREAS OF FROST. MORE FROST IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY MORNING WITH LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. JAB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 426 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 NYZ025-036-044-045-055-162130- CHENANGO NY-CORTLAND NY-MADISON NY-TIOGA NY-TOMPKINS NY- 426 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EAST CENTRAL TOMPKINS...EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL TIOGA...NORTHERN CHENANGO...SOUTH CENTRAL MADISON AND SOUTHERN CORTLAND COUNTIES... * AT 426 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR DRYDEN... AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. * THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... VIRGIL AND SOUTH CORTLAND AT 435 PM EDT... CORTLAND AND LAPEER AT 440 PM EDT... FREETOWN CORNERS AND MCGRAW AT 445 PM EDT... SOLON AND TEXAS VALLEY AT 450 PM EDT... EAST FREETOWN AND WILLET AT 455 PM EDT... TAYLOR AND CINCINNATUS AT 500 PM EDT... PITCHER AND UNION VALLEY AT 505 PM EDT... PHARSALIA AND SOUTH OTSELIC AT 510 PM EDT... THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS. MJ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
452 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG GEORGETOWN 42.77N 75.72W
05/16/2009 MADISON NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
LAW ENFORCEMENT DISPATCHERS REPORTED GEORGETOWN HIT HARD
BY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. ROOF TORN OFF HOME. OTHER
STRUCTURES COLLAPSED. INJURIES REPORTED, BUT UNKNOWN
NUMBER AT THIS TIME. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
&&
JABPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
524 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0405 PM TSTM WND DMG WATKINS GLEN 42.38N 76.87W
05/16/2009 SCHUYLER NY PUBLIC
LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN.
0430 PM TSTM WND DMG SOUTHPORT 42.06N 76.81W
05/16/2009 CHEMUNG NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN.
&&
JABPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
552 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM FUNNEL CLOUD WAVERLY 42.01N 76.54W
05/16/2009 TIOGA NY PUBLIC
0525 PM HAIL OWEGO 42.10N 76.26W
05/16/2009 E1.00 INCH TIOGA NY PUBLIC
0535 PM HAIL ENDICOTT 42.10N 76.06W
05/16/2009 E0.88 INCH BROOME NY PUBLIC
0544 PM HAIL NEWARK VALLEY 42.22N 76.19W
05/16/2009 E0.75 INCH TIOGA NY AMATEUR RADIO
0545 PM HAIL ENDICOTT 42.10N 76.06W
05/16/2009 E0.75 INCH BROOME NY PUBLIC
&&
JABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 608 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 NYZ055-056-PAZ038-039-043-162315- BRADFORD PA-BROOME NY-SUSQUEHANNA PA-TIOGA NY-WYOMING PA- 608 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009 ...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN BRADFORD... NORTHERN WYOMING...SOUTHEASTERN TIOGA...SOUTHERN BROOME AND SUSQUEHANNA COUNTIES... * AT 607 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL... STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM APALACHIN TO CAMPTOWN TO SOUTH BRANCH TO 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEW ALBANY...AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. * STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... TIOGA TERRACE AND CAMPVILLE AT 615 PM EDT... ENDICOTT AND RUSHVILLE AT 620 PM EDT... VESTAL AND ENDWELL AT 625 PM EDT... WYALUSING AND WILMOT AT 630 PM EDT... BINGHAMTON AND WYOANNA AT 635 PM EDT... STOWELL AND SILVARA AT 640 PM EDT... CONKLIN AND SOUTH MONTROSE AT 645 PM EDT... KIRKWOOD AND KASSON BROOK AT 650 PM EDT... THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS. MJ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
645 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0313 PM HAIL KING FERRY 42.67N 76.62W
05/16/2009 E0.75 INCH CAYUGA NY PUBLIC
HIGH WINDS OF UNKNOWN SPEED ALSO REPORTED.
0405 PM TSTM WND DMG WATKINS GLEN 42.38N 76.87W
05/16/2009 SCHUYLER NY PUBLIC
LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN.
0430 PM TSTM WND DMG SOUTHPORT 42.06N 76.81W
05/16/2009 CHEMUNG NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN.
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG GEORGETOWN 42.77N 75.72W
05/16/2009 MADISON NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
*** 1 INJ *** LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED GEORGETOWN HIT
HARD BY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED
TO AT LEAST ONE HOME WITH ITS ROOF TORN OFF AND TOSSED
INTO VEHICLES ON STATE ROUTE 26. TREES AND POWERLINES
ALSO DOWN ACROSS THE TOWN. THIS WILL BE INVESTIGATED AS A
POSSIBLE TORNADO.
0455 PM FUNNEL CLOUD WAVERLY 42.01N 76.54W
05/16/2009 TIOGA NY PUBLIC
0525 PM HAIL OWEGO 42.10N 76.26W
05/16/2009 E1.00 INCH TIOGA NY PUBLIC
0535 PM HAIL ENDICOTT 42.10N 76.06W
05/16/2009 E0.88 INCH BROOME NY PUBLIC
0544 PM HAIL NEWARK VALLEY 42.22N 76.19W
05/16/2009 E0.75 INCH TIOGA NY AMATEUR RADIO
0545 PM HAIL ENDICOTT 42.10N 76.06W
05/16/2009 E0.75 INCH BROOME NY PUBLIC
&&
JABThe Binghamton radar (KBGM), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:01 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A modular field office was destroyed at a truck stop at exit 217 off Interstate 81.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, May 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: 162443.