A warm front lingered across central New York State during the late afternoon and early evening hours of Tuesday, May 21st 2013. This front resulted in a broken line of storms that produced hail, along with wind damage.
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 warm front lingered across central New York State during the late afternoon and early evening hours of Tuesday, May 21st 2013. This front resulted in a broken line of storms that produced hail, along with wind damage.
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 20, 9:51 PM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 1051 PM EDT MON MAY 20 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM WEATHER PATTERN HAS SET UP ACROSS THE AREA AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY, WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR TO JUST ABOVE 80 AND LOWS MAINLY IN THE 60S. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED, ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD WILL BE DRY. A COLD FRONT WILL TRACK ACROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY WITH A SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. MUCH COOLER WEATHER WILL FOLLOW BEHIND THE FRONT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... 10 PM UPDATE... GRIDS IN GOOD SHAPE. MADE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO TRACK TOWARD WRN NY WITH LITTLE SIGN OF WEAKENING. MESO MODELS DO NOT AGREE WHETHER IT WILL GET HERE OR NOT. LOCALLY STILL UNSTABLE. UPPED POPS FOR MID TO 3 AM THEN DROPPED THEM. CONSENSUS WOULD HAVE THE LINE CONTINUING INTO WRN NY THEN HEAD EAST ALONG THE LAKE PLAIN. LITTLE MAKING IT TO THE SRN TIER AND NE PA. NO ADJUSTMENTS TO TUESDAY AND BEYOND. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... SUMMER-LIKE AIR MASS IS BECOMING ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING TO NEAR 80 AND DEW POINTS INTO THE 60S. HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH SO FAR HAVE NOT OCCURRED. WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF A TRIGGER AND SOME DRY AIR INDICATED ON CURRENT WATER VAPOR LOOP EXPECT ANY SHOWERS OR STORMS TO BE VERY ISOLATED INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. BASED ON THIS HAVE KEPT POPS BELOW 20 PCT THROUGH THIS EVENING. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING OVER MICHIGAN WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS MICHIGAN AND SOUTHERN ONTARIO THIS EVENING... PROBABLY REACHING WESTERN NEW YORK AROUND MIDNIGHT. THESE SHOWERS WILL BE WEAKENING AS THEY APPROACH CENTRAL NY AFTER MIDNIGHT BUT COULD PRODUCE A BRIEF PERIOD OF SHOWERS TOWARD DAWN... ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... TRICKY FORECAST SETTING UP FOR TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS WILL INTERACT WITH WEAK UPPER-LEVEL SHORT WAVES ROTATING AROUND THE NORTHERN RIM OF A LARGE- SCALE UPPER RIDGE... PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. IN MANY WAYS THE PATTERN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WILL BE MORE TYPICAL OF MID-SUMMER INSTEAD OF MAY. THE PRIMARY LOW- LEVEL SURFACE BOUNDARY WILL START OUT NORTH OF OUR AREA TONIGHT BUT MAY SAG SOUTH TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY... AIDED BY CONVECTIVELY INDUCED OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES PUT DOWN BY ANY CONVECTION. THE FIRST ROUND OF SHOWERS WILL BE WEAKENING AND PUSHING EAST OF OUR AREA EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. HOWEVER THESE SHOWERS COULD HELP TO ESTABLISH A LOW-LEVEL BOUNDARY SOMEWHERE ACROSS CENTRAL NY... WHICH MAY HELP TO TRIGGER ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS A WEAK SHORT WAVE TRACKS EAST AROUND THE NORTHERN RIM OF AN UPPER RIDGE. MODELS DISAGREE SOMEWHAT ON AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY THAT WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY AFTERNOON... BUT WITH A WARM AND SOMEWHAT HUMID AIRMASS IN PLACE EXPECT THAT CAPES AROUND 1000 J/KG WOULD BE REASONABLE. GFS FORECAST VALUES OVER 2000 J/KG IN NORTHEAST PA ARE BASED ON SFC DEW POINTS REACHING ABOVE 70 AND DO NOT APPEAR REASONABLE. HOWEVER EVEN THE 1000 J/KG SCENARIO WOULD BE ENOUGH TO KICK OF A FEW HEALTHY STORMS. DEEP LAYER SHEAR VALUES OF 20-30 KTS WOULD BE MARGINALLY LARGE ENOUGH FOR A FEW STORMS TO APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS... AND THEREFORE OUR AREA IS OUTLINED IN A SEE TEXT AREA IN THE LATEST SPC GUIDANCE. COVERAGE OF STORMS IS ALSO A TRICKY ISSUE FOR TOMORROW. LATEST WPC PROBABILISTIC GUIDANCE IS INDICATING POPS NEAR 80 PCT BASED ON ENSEMBLE DATA... HOWEVER WITH WEAK WARM SECTOR-TYPE FORCING SUSPECT THAT THE COVERAGE MAY NOT BE THAT LARGE. HAVE GONE WITH HIGH CHC POPS FOR CENTRAL NY AND LOW CHC POPS FOR NORTHEAST PA. BOTH CAPE AND SHEAR ARE FORECAST TO INCREASE ON WEDNESDAY... WITH CAPE VALUES GENERALLY 1000-1500 J/KG AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR 25 TO 30 KTS IN NORTHEAST PA AND 35 TO 40 KTS ACROSS CENTRAL NY. QUESTION WILL BE WHETHER A TRIGGER WILL BE AVAILABLE TO KICK OFF STORMS IN THE WARM SECTOR OF A CYCLONE OVER THE LOWER GREAT LAKES. OVERALL PATTERN IS SIMILAR TO TUESDAY WITH WSW FLOW ALOFT AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS... THIS TIME WITH A LITTLE MORE SEVERE POTENTIAL. BEST SYNOPTIC SCALE FORCING WILL BE THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT FINALLY MOVES EAST ACROSS THE AREA. AGAIN A ROUND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS LOOKS LIKE A GOOD BET AS THE FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA WITH SEVERE POTENTIAL PROBABLY A FUNCTION OF FRONTAL TIMING... WITH AN AFTERNOON FRONTAL PASSAGE MORE CONDUCIVE TO SEVERE WEATHER. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROF OVER THE NORTHEAST THROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD WITH HEIGHTS GRADUALLY BUILDING LATE AS THIS TROF LIFTS EAST. THIS WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES 5-10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL WITH MIN TEMPS COLD ENOUGH FOR POSSIBLE FROST BOTH FRIDAY/SATURDAY NIGHTS AND MAYBE EVEN SUNDAY NIGHT. AT THE SFC, POST COLD FRONT SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD WITH BEST CHC FOR THUNDER DURING THE EARLY EVENING. AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROF BUILDS IN ON FRIDAY THE CHC FOR SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE WITH THE HIGHEST POPS IN THE SOUTHERN CATSKILLS AND NE PA. REMAINDER OF PERIOD WILL BE DRY WITH PARTLY TO MAINLY CLEAR CONDITIONS AS SFC HIGH PRES FROM CENTRAL CANADA DROPS SOUTH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION TO OUR VCNTY BY MONDAY. && .AVIATION /03Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST DURING THE TAF PERIOD IN REGARDS TO PLACEMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS...BUT OUTSIDE OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY VFR OVERALL. EXCEPTIONS WILL BE SHALLOW MOISTURE MOVING INTO KAVP AND KBGM FOR POSSIBLE LOW END MVFR CIG FOR A TIME EARLY MORNING...AND PERHAPS MVFR CIG SNEAKING FOR KRME AS WELL. ALSO...KELM MAY HAVE A PERIOD OF EARLY MORNING MVFR VALLEY FOG. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WIND THROUGH TONIGHT BECOMING WEST- SOUTHWEST AT 5-10 KNOTS TUESDAY MORNING. A THUNDERSTORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT OVERNIGHT TOWARDS KSYR-KRME DUE TO INSTABILITY ALOFT...BUT NOT ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO INCLUDE IN TAF. MODELS HAVE STRUGGLED...WITH SOME EVEN DEPICTING A LITTLE ACTIVITY OVER THE AREA NOW /00Z/ WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS NOT OCCURRING. BETTER CHANCES FOR THUNDER ARE EXPECTED DURING TUESDAY...ESPECIALLY AFTERNOON...SO PROB30 TSRA GROUPS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED DURING THE MORE LIKELY TIMES IN MOST TAFS ACCORDINGLY. TAFS MAY BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY SHOULD THUNDERSTORMS TRY TO FIRE UPSTREAM LATER THIS EVENING. OUTLOOK... WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY...MVFR POSSIBLE IN SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS. FRIDAY/SATURDAY...VFR. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...MSE NEAR TERM...MSE/TAC SHORT TERM...MSE LONG TERM...RRM AVIATION...MDP
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 352 PM EDT MON MAY 20 2013 NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046-055>057-062-PAZ038>040-043- 044-047-048-072-212000- NORTHERN ONEIDA-YATES-SENECA-SOUTHERN CAYUGA-ONONDAGA-STEUBEN- SCHUYLER-CHEMUNG-TOMPKINS-MADISON-SOUTHERN ONEIDA-CORTLAND-CHENANGO- OTSEGO-TIOGA-BROOME-DELAWARE-SULLIVAN-BRADFORD-SUSQUEHANNA- NORTHERN WAYNE-WYOMING-LACKAWANNA-LUZERNE-PIKE-SOUTHERN WAYNE- 352 PM EDT MON MAY 20 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK...SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY COULD BRING ISOLATED DAMAGING WINDS OR LARGE HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MSE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
111 AM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
NYZ009-018-036-037-210615-
MADISON NY-ONEIDA NY-ONONDAGA NY-
111 AM EDT TUE MAY 21 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL ONEIDA...NORTHERN ONONDAGA
AND NORTHWESTERN MADISON COUNTIES...
* AT 108 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL. THIS STORM
WAS LOCATED NEAR NEW YORK STATE FAIRGROUNDS...AND MOVING EAST AT 35
MPH.
* THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
MATTYDALE AND LYNCOURT AT 120 AM EDT...
EAST SYRACUSE AND CICERO AT 125 AM EDT...
MINOA AND KIRKVILLE AT 130 AM EDT...
BRIDGEPORT AT 135 AM EDT...
LAKEPORT AND SULLIVAN AT 140 AM EDT...
OLD ERIE CANAL STATE HISTORIC PARK AT 145 AM EDT...
SOUTH BAY AND UNION CORNERS AT 150 AM EDT...
VERONA BEACH STATE PARK AND VERONA BEACH AT 155 AM EDT...
THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL
AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE
INDOORS IMMEDIATELY!
LAT...LON 4339 7543 4313 7532 4296 7631 4313 7638
4322 7608 4319 7601 4319 7596 4316 7589
4327 7588
PVNThe Ft Drum radar (KTYX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:15 UTC.
22 hail, 14 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Large tree was blown down on a car by thunderstorm winds.
Most of the hail was one inch in diameter.
Trees reported down at the intersection of State Route 96 and Burgess Road in the Village of Waterloo.
Numerous trees, power poles and electrical lines were blown down in and around Fayette by thunderstorm winds.
Power pole and wires were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
Trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
Thunderstorm winds blew a barn down and downed a lot of trees in and around Niles.
Trees were blown down across southern portion of the city of Syracuse and across northern sections of Lafayette.
Tree was blown down on a house by thunderstorm winds..
Tree was blown down blocking Route 11.
Thunderstorm also produced small hail and heavy rain.
Trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
Small hail was accompanied by an estimated 50 to 60 mph winds.
Also high wind reported with numerous tree limbs down.
Also high wind reported with numerous tree limbs down.
Trees was blown down by thunderstorm winds.
Multiple trees were blown down across central part of the county from 745 pm to 800 pm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, May 2013
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: 442745, 442710, 442711, 442712, 442713, 442714, 442715, 442718, 442719, 442720, 442721, 442747, 442722, 442723, 442761, 442785, 442724, 442798, 442794, 442725, 442788, 442786, 442787, 442791, 442726, 442792, 442795, 442727, 442728, 442729, 442733, 442735, 442797, 442736, 442737, 442796.