A warm air mass was situated over the region on Tuesday, August 4th. An upper level disturbance was located north of the region over eastern Canada, while a surface cold front was slowly moving towards western Massachusetts from the west.
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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 warm air mass was situated over the region on Tuesday, August 4th. An upper level disturbance was located north of the region over eastern Canada, while a surface cold front was slowly moving towards western Massachusetts from the west.
Ahead of this cold front, clusters of thunderstorms developed over eastern New York and spread into the Berkshires during the afternoon hours. With cooler temperatures moving in aloft, the thunderstorms were prone to developing hail, with some hailstones as large as one inch in diameter.
Thunderstorms ended by the early evening hours, as the front crossed the region from the west.
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 Aug 4, 12:03 PM EST, 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 103 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE GRADUALLY SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE COAST TODAY AS DISTURBANCES IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE MOVE OVER THE REGION. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. DISTURBANCES IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER THE REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY KEEPING THE THREAT OF STORMS IN THE FORECAST. MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER IS POSSIBLE FOR LATE IN WEEK ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS TO THE SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL DISTRICT. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... AS OF 100 PM EDT... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EASTERN NY INTO WESTERN NE AS 18Z SPECIAL SOUNDING IS UNDERWAY. CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE COLD FRONT WHERE DEWPOINTS HAVE POOLED INTO THE MID AND UPPER 60S. MESOSCALE ANALYSIS FROM THE LAPS/SPC SUGGEST SBCAPES WERE CLOSE TO 2500 J/KG WITH 0-6KM SHEAR OF 40KTS. AMPLE SURFACE HEATING AWAY FROM THE CONVECTION HAS ALLOWED FOR MORE ROBUST CONVECTION AND PER COORDINATION WITH SPC...SLIGHT RISK HAS BEEN EXPANDED FURTHER WEST WITH THE RECENT UPDATE. AS OF THE TIME OF THIS AFD...2 INCH HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED /SEE LSR FOR DETAILS/ WITH A LINE OF CONVECTION DEVELOPING IN THE VICINITY OF THE HUDSON RIVER/SCHOHARIE VALLEYS. FOR PORTIONS OF THE DACKS AND CENTRAL-WESTERN MOHAWK VALLEY...DEWPOINTS ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF FALLING BACK INTO THE MID AND UPPER 50S SO NO WATCH FOR THESE AREAS...YET EMBEDDED WITH THE DEEPER CYCLONIC FLOW AND ASSOCIATED SHORT WAVES MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES REGION WHERE THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST. SO MAIN UPDATE WAS FOR THE WATCH...HOURLY TRENDS AND RAISE DEWPOINTS. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY/... CONVECTION WILL WANE WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING THIS EVENING HOWEVER THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD WITH SHORT WAVES ROTATING ABOUT IT. EXPECTING LOWS TO BOTTOM OUT MAINLY IN THE 50S. GUIDANCE INDICATES A STRONGER SHORT WAVE SHOULD APPROACH DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY RESULTING IN HEIGHT FALLS ACROSS THE REGION. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS JUST TO OUR NORTH ACROSS NORTHERN NEW YORK AND NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND WITH THE GENERAL THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK ACROSS MOST OF OUR FORECAST AREA. THE BEST CHANCE FOR STORMS WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH HEATING. HIGHS WILL NOT BE AS WARM AND SHOULD ACTUALLY FALL A BIT SHORT OF NORMAL BY ABOUT 5 DEGREES. STORMS SHOULD DISSIPATE QUICKLY WITH LOSS OF HEATING AND THE PASSAGE OF THE SHORT WAVE. EXPECTING A BREAK IN THE THREAT OF STORMS THURSDAY AS HIGHER PRESSURE BUILDS IN AND THE FLOW ALOFT FLATTENS. SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN NORMAL HIGHS AGAIN THURSDAY MAINLY IN THE 70S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED WITH HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 70S. OVERALL THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES WILL BE UNDER A LONGWAVE TROUGH HOWEVER IT WILL VARY IN STRENGTH AS SHORT WAVES MOVE THROUGH THE FLOW. THE FLOW IS EXPECTED TO FLATTEN LATE IN THE WEEK CAUSING A FRONTAL BOUNDARY TO STALL TO OUR SOUTH. HOWEVER THE EXACT LOCATION REMAINS VERY MUCH IN QUESTION. GUIDANCE REMAINS INCONSISTENT WITH THE TIMING...TRACK AND STRENGTHEN OF THE LOW THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ALONG THE BOUNDARY. AT THIS TIME HAVE CHANCE POPS AS FAR NORTH AS THE CAPITAL DISTRICT ON FRIDAY WITH A PERIOD OF LIKELY POPS FOR THE SOUTHERN MOST PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. AS FOR THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...HAVE MAINLY SLIGHT CHANCES POPS SINCE THE TIMING OF ADDITIONAL SHORT WAVES IS HIGHLY UNCERTAIN. && .AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MOVE SLOWLY TOWARD THE COAST DAY AS ADDIITONAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES APPROACH AND MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TRIGGERING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITION WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR SOME THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME STRONG PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS AND OR SMALL HAIL. MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH THE CONVECTION WITH BRIEF IFR. HAVE ADDRESSED THREAT WITH VCSH SINCE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CONIFIDENCE TO TIME INDIVIDUALS STORMS AT ANY TAF SITE. MAIN WINDOW FOR STORMS 18Z-23Z. WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY SHIFTING TO THE WEST DURING THE AFTERNOON. THE WINDS WILL WEAKEN THIS EVENING. OUTLOOK... WED NIGHT-THU EVENING: NO OPERATIONAL IMPACT. NO SIG WX. THU NIGHT-FRI: MODERATE OPERATIONAL IMPACT. CHANCE OF SHRA. FRI NIGHT-SAT: LOW OPERATIONAL IMPACT. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHRA. && .FIRE WEATHER... A COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION TODAY SLOWLY MOVING TOWARD THE COAST. DISTURBANCES IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL ALSO MOVE OVER THE REGION. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON. DISTURBANCES IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER THE REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY KEEPING THE THREAT OF STORMS IN THE FORECAST. MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER IS POSSIBLE FOR LATE IN WEEK ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS TO THE SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL DISTRICT. && .HYDROLOGY... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. UNSETTLED WEATHER IS LIKELY FOR LATE IN THE WEEK AS A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES ALONG A BOUNDARY STALLED TO OUR SOUTH. HOWEVER THE GUIDANCE HAS BEEN NOT BEEN CONSISTENCY ON THE TIMING OF THE RAINFALL OR HOW FAR NORTH IT MAY OCCUR. AT THIS TIME HAVE CHANCE POPS AS FAR NORTH AS THE CAPITAL DISTRICT ON FRIDAY WITH A PERIOD OF LIKELY POPS FOR THE SOUTHERN MOST PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. HYDROLOGICAL PROBLEMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. 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...IAA/BGM SHORT TERM...IAA LONG TERM...IAA AVIATION...IAA FIRE WEATHER...IAA HYDROLOGY...IAA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1230 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015 MAZ001-025-NYZ041>043-048>054-058>061-083-084-VTZ013>015-051100- NORTHERN BERKSHIRE-SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-NORTHERN SARATOGA- NORTHERN WARREN-NORTHERN WASHINGTON-WESTERN SCHENECTADY- EASTERN SCHENECTADY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA-WESTERN ALBANY-EASTERN ALBANY- WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-WESTERN GREENE-EASTERN GREENE- WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA-SOUTHEAST WARREN- SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- 1230 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 469 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...SOUTHERN VERMONT...AND PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK INCLUDING THE CAPITAL REGION...NORTHERN AND CENTRAL TACONICS...LAKE GEORGE SARATOGA REGION AND THE HELDERBERGS. .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...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AT THIS TIME. CTZ001-013-NYZ032-033-038>040-047-063>066-082-051100- NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN HERKIMER-HAMILTON- SOUTHERN HERKIMER-SOUTHERN FULTON-MONTGOMERY-SCHOHARIE- WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER-WESTERN DUTCHESS-EASTERN DUTCHESS- NORTHERN FULTON- 1230 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT AND EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK OF ULSTER AND DUTCHESS COUNTIES...SCHOHARIE VALLEY...MOHAWK VALLEY AND PORTIONS OF THE ADIRONDACKS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND OR SMALL HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1158 AM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015
NYZ053-054-060-061-041630-
WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN
COLUMBIA-
1158 AM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN RENSSELAER AND
NORTHEASTERN COLUMBIA COUNTIES...
AT 1158 AM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NASSAU...MOVING EAST
AT 30 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
EAST GREENBUSH...NASSAU...STEPHENTOWN...BERLIN...
CASTLETON-ON-HUDSON...AVERILL PARK...WEST SAND LAKE...SAND LAKE...
POESTENKILL...EAST NASSAU...RIDERS...DENAULT CORNERS...PETERSBURG...
BRAESIDE...DUNHAM HOLLOW...TABORTON...TOTEM LODGE...WYOMANOCK...
NIVERVILLE AND EAST POESTENKILL.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 4249 7336 4243 7369 4257 7375 4260 7376
4277 7332 4270 7328
TIME...MOT...LOC 1558Z 249DEG 24KT 4254 7364
LFMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1248 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015
NYZ060-061-041715-
EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN COLUMBIA-
1248 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN COLUMBIA COUNTY...
AT 1248 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER LIVINGSTON...OR NEAR
CATSKILL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HUDSON...CLAVERACK...LIVINGSTON...COPAKE...CLERMONT...AUSTERLITZ...
PHILMONT...CLAVERACK-RED MILLS...GERMANTOWN...HILLSDALE...
TAGHKANIC...HOLLOWVILLE...CHEVIOT...OAK HILL LANDING...NEW FORGE...
ELIZAVILLE...EAST TAGHKANIC...COPAKE FALLS...EAST HILLSDALE AND
MARTINDALE.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 4208 7391 4213 7391 4217 7389 4218 7387
4220 7385 4222 7385 4235 7347 4230 7343
4210 7350 4204 7379
TIME...MOT...LOC 1648Z 247DEG 26KT 4215 7376
LFM/SNDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
1256 PM EDT TUE AUG 04 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1240 PM HAIL VALATIE 42.41N 73.68W
08/04/2015 M2.00 INCH COLUMBIA NY TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER ALY1500234
BEWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
110 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015
MAZ001-NYZ053-054-VTZ013-041745-
NORTHERN BERKSHIRE-WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-BENNINGTON-
110 PM EDT TUE AUG 4 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN BERKSHIRE...CENTRAL
RENSSELAER AND SOUTHWESTERN BENNINGTON COUNTIES...
AT 109 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR AVERILL PARK...OR NEAR
TROY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TROY...BENNINGTON...NORTH ADAMS...MONROE...WILLIAMSTOWN...POWNAL...
GREEN ISLAND...GRAFTON...BERLIN...STAMFORD...WYANTSKILL...CENTER
BRUNSWICK...WYNANTSKILL...AVERILL PARK...WEST SAND LAKE...NORTH
GREENBUSH...BRUNSWICK...SAND LAKE...HOOSICK AND POESTENKILL.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 4261 7366 4275 7369 4276 7368 4294 7309
4274 7301 4274 7302 4270 7302 4270 7300
4268 7299
TIME...MOT...LOC 1709Z 254DEG 34KT 4271 7354
LFM/SNDThe Albany radar (KENX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:20 UTC.
7 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Quarter size hail was reported during a thunderstorm at the intersection of Dalton Avenue and Westminster Avenue in Pittsfield.
Penny size hail was reported during a thunderstorm in Pittsfield.
Nickel size hail was reported during a thunderstorm in Great Barrington.
Quarter size hail was reported during a thunderstorm in Dalton.
Quarter size hail was reported during a thunderstorm in Egremont.
Quarter size hail was reported during a thunderstorm in Windsor.
Quarter size hail was reported during a thunderstorm in Monterey.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Massachusetts in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Massachusetts, August 2015
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: 591444, 591446, 591447, 591450, 591451, 591452, 591453.