The airmass across east central New York and adjacent western New England including the Berkshires became moderately unstable during the afternoon of Wednesday, July 6th, with daytime heating and an increase in low level moisture. With the approach of a disturbance in the upper levels of the atmosphere and the presence of a pre-frontal trough, convection fired up across the area.
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 airmass across east central New York and adjacent western New England including the Berkshires became moderately unstable during the afternoon of Wednesday, July 6th, with daytime heating and an increase in low level moisture. With the approach of a disturbance in the upper levels of the atmosphere and the presence of a pre-frontal trough, convection fired up across the area. A severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds during the evening in Lanesborough.
Pre-frontal trough: An elongated area of relatively low pressure preceding a cold front that is usually associated with a shift in wind direction.
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 6, 4:04 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 504 PM EDT WED JUL 6 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION TONIGHT...PRECEDED AND ACCOMPANIED BY SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE FAIR AND SLIGHTLY LESS HUMID CONDITIONS FOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. MOISTURE APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTH WILL BRING CLOUDS...AND POSSIBLY SOME SHOWERS BACK TO THE REGION FOR FRIDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... AS OF 430 PM EDT...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO MOVE SE ACROSS THE MOHAWK VALLEY...SOUTHERN ADIRONDACKS...AND LAKE GEORGE/SARATOGA REGION. A FEW ROGUE CELLS HAVE ALSO POPPED AHEAD OF THIS LINE...AND EVEN BEHIND IT. WE EXPECT THIS LINE TO CONTINUE MOVING E/SE...REACHING THE EASTERN MOHAWK VALLEY AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CAPITAL REGION BETWEEN 445 AND 545 PM...THROUGH THE IMMEDIATE CAPITAL REGION BETWEEN 545 PM AND 645 PM...AND INTO SOUTHERN VT AND WESTERN MA BETWEEN 630 AND 730 PM. SHOULD THE LINE HOLD TOGETHER...IT MAY IMPACT THE SE CATSKILLS...MID HUDSON VALLEY REGION AND NW CT BETWEEN 7 AND 8 PM...ALTHOUGH CELLS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THIS LINE MAY IMPACT THIS REGION SOONER. AGAIN...DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT WITH OR IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF THIS LINE...WITH ISOLATED LARGE HAIL MAINLY CONFINED TO ANY DISCRETE CELLS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE LINE. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS/TSTMS AFFECTING DEVELOPING ACROSS WESTERN NYS MAY IMPACT SOUTHERN AREAS LATER THIS EVENING AS WELL. SO...FOR POPS...WILL KEEP CHC TO LOW LIKELY POPS THROUGH THIS EVENING...HIGHEST ACROSS THE UPPER HUDSON VALLEY INTO SOUTHERN VT...THEN TAPER TO SLIGHT CHC ACROSS NORTHERN AREAS...AND LOW CHC FOR SOUTHERN AREAS FOR THIS EVENING THROUGH AROUND MIDNIGHT. THEREAFTER...EXPECT CLEARING SKIES. IN AREAS WHERE RAINFALL OCCURS THIS EVENING...PATCHY FOG COULD DEVELOP LATE. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THIS WOULD BE WITHIN THE LAKE GEORGE/SARATOGA REGION...AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL FOG COULD FORM. FOR MIN TEMPS...HAVE GENERALLY SIDED WITH OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE A MAV/MET MOS BLEND. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... THURSDAY...ONE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE SAGGING S/E ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE MORNING HOURS...REACHING THE MID HUDSON VALLEY DURING THE AFTERNOON...WHILE A SECONDARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACHES FROM THE NW DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE FIRST FRONT MAY TAP JUST ENOUGH CAPE TO TRIGGER ISOLATED SHOWERS/TSTMS ACROSS THE MID HUDSON VALLEY/NW CT REGION...AND POSSIBLY SOUTHERN BERKSHIRES DURING THE MIDDAY THROUGH MID AFTERNOON HOURS. HOWEVER...DEEP DRY AIR IN THE MID LEVELS...AND A STRENGTHENING SUBSIDENCE INVERSION IN THE WAKE OF TONIGHT/S SHORTWAVE PASSAGE SHOULD LIMIT AREAL COVERAGE OF ANY CONVECTION. ELSEWHERE...EXPECT MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND DECERASING HUMIDITY LEVELS. FOR MAX TEMPS...HAVE SIDED WITH MAV/MET MOS BLEND...WITH 80-85 WITHIN MUCH OF THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY FROM ALBANY NORTH...AND MID TO UPPER 80S ACROSS THE MID HUDSON VALLEY REGION...WITH GENERALLY 75-80 ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS. THU NT...OTHER THAN A STRAY SHOWER/TSTM ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS EARLY...EXPECT CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES...WITH MORE CLOUDS DEVELOPING/INCREASING ACROSS SOUTHERN/WESTERN AREAS LATE. HAVE INDICATED MINS AGAIN CLOSE TO A MAV/MET MOS BLEND...WITH 45-50 POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE NORTH COUNTRY...AND 50-55 ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS ACROSS WESTERN NEW ENGLAND...WITH 55-60 ACROSS MUCH OF THE HUDSON VALLEY REGION FROM ALBANY SOUTH. FRI-FRI NT...UNCERTAINTY INCREASES DURING THIS TIME PERIOD...AS MODEL SOLUTIONS DIVERGE ON THE HANDLING OF WAVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO THE SOUTH. THE NAM EVEN SEEMS TO DEPICT A COMPACT...WARM CORE FEATURE TRAVELING NORTHEAST ALONG AND OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST. THIS APPEARS A BIT SPURIOUS...AND WILL SIDE CLOSER TO THE GFS/CMC SOLUTIONS. THE NAM...POSSIBLY IN RESPONSE TO THIS FEATURE...ALSO SEEMS TO DEVELOP SLOW MOVING...HEAVY SHOWERS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE REGION DURING THIS TIME. THERE WILL BE A MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE APPROACHING FROM THE WEST LATE FRI OR FRI NT...SO IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT AT LEAST SOME MOISTURE MAY BE ENTRAINED NORTH INTO THE REGION. SO...HAVE INDICATE SLIGHT CHC TO CHC POPS...HIGHEST ACROSS SOUTHERN AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION...MAINLY FOR FRI AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. FOR TEMPS...SIDED A BIT CLOSER TO THE COOLER MET MOS FOR SOUTHERN AREAS...WHERE CLOUDS MAY DOMINATE...WITH MAXES GENERALLY AROUND 80 IN VALLEYS...WITH 70S FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE PERIOD WILL BEGIN A LITTLE UNSETTLED...AS SOME SORT OF LOW PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL BE IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING AWAY TO THE EAST. THE QUESTION IS HOW FAST THIS MOVEMENT IS. FOR NOW...ADDED SLIGHT CHANCES TO SATURDAY MORNING AS THERE MIGHT BE SOME RESIDUAL SHOWERS LEFT OVER. THEN...HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO BRING DRY WEATHER LATER SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY WITH SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES. HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST PROVIDING INCREASED HUMIDITY FOR MONDAY. AT THE SAME TIME...A WEAK TROUGH/COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST TO PROVIDE THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BY LATE IN THE DAY. RIGHT NOW IT APPEARS THIS FRONT WILL MOVE TO OUR EAST ON TUESDAY...WITH LARGE HIGH PRESSURE FORECASTED TO BRING MORE SEASONABLY WARM AND DRY WEATHER WEDNESDAY. LOOK FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY IN THE 80S AND LOWS 55 TO 65. && .AVIATION /21Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... WITH AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT...SCT SHRA/TSRA ARE BREAKING OUT ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NY AND ATTEMPTING TO MOVE TOWARDS THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTN. ALTHOUGH FLYING CONDITIONS WILL BE VFR TO START THE TAF PERIOD...THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR/IFR DUE TO SHRA OR EVEN A TSTM FOR THE MID TO LATE AFTN HOURS. DUE TO THE SCATTERED NATURE OF THE TSTMS...AS WELL AS THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE TIMING AND EXTEND...WILL NOT INCLUDE TSRA/VCTS IN THE TAF AT THIS POINT...BUT WILL INCLUDE A CB APPENDAGE WITH A TEMPO FOR AN MVFR SHOWER FOR THE MID/LATE AFTN AND INTO THE EVENING. BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...THE CHC FOR SHOWERS WILL DIMINISH GREATLY AFTER ABOUT 00 UTC...AND THE CLOUDS WILL THIN IN COVERAGE AS WELL. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH RAINFALL OCCURS TODAY...THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME MVFR MIST TONIGHT...ESP AT KGFL. THIS WILL DISSIPATE AFTER SUNRISE THURSDAY...ALLOWING FOR VFR CONDITIONS TO RETURN FOR THE ENTIRE DAY. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS THIS AFTN WILL BECOME WESTERLY BY THIS EVENING. THERE MAY BE A FEW GUSTS AT TIMES THIS AFTN IN CHANNELED NORTH TO SOUTH VALLEYS...BUT SFC WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN 10 KTS. WESTERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL DIMINISH AND BE NEARLY CALM OVERNIGHT...WHICH MAY HELP AID THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIST. AFTER SUNRISE...NW WINDS WILL PICK UP SOMEWHAT...BUT STILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN 10 KTS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... THU-FRI...MAINLY VFR. CHC OF MVFR IN SHRA/TSRA AT KPOU. SAT-SUN...VFR...NO SIG WX. MON...VFR/MVFR...CHC SHRA/TSRA. && .FIRE WEATHER... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION TONIGHT...PRECEDED AND ACCOMPANIED BY SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROVIDE FAIR AND SLIGHTLY LESS HUMID CONDITIONS FOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. MOISTURE APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTH WILL BRING CLOUDS...AND POSSIBLY SOME SHOWERS BACK TO THE REGION FOR FRIDAY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS/TSTMS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING...WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS/TSTMS POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS FOR THU AFTERNOON/EVE. THE RH WILL RECOVER TO 90-100 PERCENT TONIGHT...WITH DEW FORMATION LIKELY. THE RH WILL THEN FALL INTO THE 35-45 PERCENT RANGE FOR THU AFTERNOON...THEN RECOVER TO 85-95 PERCENT THU NT. WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SHIFT INTO THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT...AND DECREASE TO LESS THAN 10 MPH. WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST TO NORTH THURSDAY...AND INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH. NORTH WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE THU NT. WINDS WILL BE MUCH STRONGER...AND VARIABLE IN DIRECTION IN AND NEAR ANY TSTMS THIS EVENING. && .HYDROLOGY... NO PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED ON THE RIVERS FOR THE NEXT FIVE DAYS. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING...SOME OF WHICH COULD PRODUCE VERY LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING...POOR DRAINAGE AND URBAN AREAS. AVERAGE BASIN RAINFALL LOOKS TO BE LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH WITH LITTLE OR NO IMPACT ON THE RIVER LEVELS. SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE LATE FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY...MAINLY FROM ALBANY SOUTHWARD. AT THIS POINT...AVERAGE BASIN RAINFALL WITH THESE SHOWERS GENERALLY LOOKS LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH. EXPECT MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS LATER SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...WITH THE NEXT CHANCE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LATER ON MONDAY. 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...KL NEAR TERM...KL SHORT TERM...KL LONG TERM...HWJIV AVIATION...FRUGIS FIRE WEATHER...KL HYDROLOGY...HWJIV
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 158 PM EDT WED JUL 6 2011 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-071100- 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- 158 PM EDT WED JUL 6 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 605 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
555 PM EDT WED JUL 06 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0554 PM TSTM WND DMG HOOSICK 42.86N 73.33W
07/06/2011 RENSSELAER NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN. TREES BLOCKING ROAD
&&
KOLECIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
603 PM EDT WED JUL 06 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0508 PM TSTM WND DMG AMSTERDAM 42.94N 74.19W
07/06/2011 MONTGOMERY NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
&&
KOLECIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
608 PM EDT WED JUL 06 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0608 PM TSTM WND DMG MELROSE 42.84N 73.63W
07/06/2011 RENSSELAER NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN
&&
KOLECIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
611 PM EDT WED JUL 06 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0611 PM TSTM WND DMG SCHAGHTICOKE HILL 42.88N 73.61W
07/06/2011 RENSSELAER NY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN
&&
KOLECIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
614 PM EDT WED JUL 06 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM TSTM WND DMG BALLSTON CENTER 42.96N 73.87W
07/06/2011 SARATOGA NY PUBLIC
TREES DOWN
&&
KOLECIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
618 PM EDT WED JUL 06 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0618 PM TSTM WND DMG ALBANY 42.66N 73.78W
07/06/2011 ALBANY NY PUBLIC
TREE LIMBS DOWN
&&
KOLECIThe Albany radar (KENX), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:31 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were reported down in Lanesborough due to strong thunderstorm winds with damage to a gazebo.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Massachusetts in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, July 2011
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: 332565.