An upper level disturbance passing over the region allowed a few showers and thunderstorms to develop during the evening hours on Saturday, July 16th. Although most of the showers and thunderstorms were weak and short-lived, one of these thunderstorms became severe during the late evening hours, producing a swath of wind damage to trees and power lines across portion of eastern Ulster County.
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.
An upper level disturbance passing over the region allowed a few showers and thunderstorms to develop during the evening hours on Saturday, July 16th. Although most of the showers and thunderstorms were weak and short-lived, one of these thunderstorms became severe during the late evening hours, producing a swath of wind damage to trees and power lines across portion of eastern Ulster County. This thunderstorm weakened as it traveled eastward into Dutchess County, and no more significant weather occurred for the remainder of the overnight hours.
Due to the downed wires and poles, up to 3000 customers lost power in Ulster County during the peak of the storm.
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 16, 6:32 PM EST, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albany NY 732 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016 .SYNOPSIS... An upper level disturbance will bring about showers and perhaps a thunderstorm tonight as this feature tracks across the region. High pressure returns for the second half of the weekend with drier and seasonable temperatures. The next chance for showers and thunderstorms arrives on Monday along and ahead of a cold front. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... Thin band of showers and isolated thunderstorms building east out of the eastern Catskills. Some additional scattered activity in the mid Hudson Valley. This activity will affect areas south of the Capital District and northern Berkshires through this evening but coverage of rain should increase gradually through the evening. The northern edge could make it to the I-90 corridor by midnight but will watch trends as some dry air to the north could hold the northern edge steady...we will see. So...some changes in rain chances and temperautres through this evening based on current trends and data. The previous afd has more details through Sunday and is below... Upstream trough axis, progressing across the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley per the H2O vapor imagery, continues to advance east- northeast. Overall lift will increase but QG forcing magnitudes are not too high which is why we will increase PoPs to high chance to scattered values tonight. Mid level instability has expanded a bit from the previous couple of NCEP model suite runs as we will continue with the isolated thunder mention in the forecast (average Showalter values just below 0C). The aforementioned wave and surface features are expected to be tracking across New England early Sunday morning. This will result in a decrease in showers from southwest to northeast Sunday morning. Then rising heights aloft and building surface pressures should result in a rather fine weather day with seasonable temperatures and a slight drop in the dewpoints (humidity). && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... Marginal risk for strong to possibly severe thunderstorms Monday. Storms will be capable of producing very heavy downpours. A tranquil period of weather expected Sunday night as the surface high quickly tracks off the New England coast. This will result in a rather fast return of southerly winds and higher moisture content toward sunrise. This may result in some patchy fog once again as we will add that the forecast/grids. Then a cold front will be on the approach Monday with a pre- frontal trough expected to develop in the developing very warm/hot and humid airmass across the region. This boundary will be accompanied by a short wave trough with heights falls occurring across the region providing improving ascent/lift. The Storm Prediction Center as the local area outlooked in Marginal for strong to possibly severe storms; the Slight Risk outlook is to our west across western New York. Model suite still suggests an active day ahead as we will continue to mention the potential in our Hazardous Weather Outlook (HWO). CAPES climb to between 1-2K J/KG, bulk shear magnitudes between 30-40kts and good low level convergence fields. Precipitable water values are expected to rise ahead of the approaching front to 1.5 to nearly 2 inches so the storms will be capable of very heavy downpours. Some minor urban flooding of poor drainage and low lying areas would be possible. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Just a few lingering morning showers in the mid Hudson Valley and NW CT Tuesday morning as a cold front exits. Drying and improving sky cover through the day Tuesday with highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s...some mid 80s southern areas and lower 70s southern Adirondacks. Flat upper ridging builds into our region Wednesday through Friday with dry weather during the period. Although...as the upper ridge axis builds east and the next piece of upper energy approaches from the Great Lakes Friday...some isolated to scattered thunderstorms could develop Friday afternoon. Highs Wednesday in the mid 70s to lower 80s. Some warming Thursday into the weekend. Highs Thursday solidly in the 80s...some upper 70s southern Adirondacks. Highs Friday in the upper 80s to lower 90s...but lower to mid 80s in higher terrain. By Saturday there are indications in guidance for another cold front to approach and support more scattered showers and thunderstorms. Current sources of guidance suggest the front would be timed for later Saturday and Saturday night. So, temperatures could be quite warm again by Saturday afternoon...with highs in the upper 80s to mid 90s...but cooler in higher terrain. && .AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Some scattered showers and thunderstorms around KPOU early and acknowledging with a VCTS through about 02Z. More showers seen on radar heading toward KPOU...but scattered so including VCSH all night with VFR conditions. KALB and KPSF will have VCSH after about 04Z and KGFL after about 06Z. Again the scattered nature to the showers suggests VCSH but any showers could have MVFR ceilings and visibilities through the night and will amend if new showers develop and are seen tracking toward the TAF sites. The threat of showers should end by 12Z-14Z. During the day on Sunday, clouds will decrease in the morning hours, allowing for VFR conditions for all sites with dry conditions. Winds tonight will be variable at less than 6 kt. Winds Sunday will be will be generally west at 5-10 kts. Outlook... Sunday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Monday: Moderate Operational Impact. Scattered SHRA...TSRA. Monday Night: Moderate Operational Impact. Chance of SHRA...TSRA. Tuesday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Tuesday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Wednesday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Wednesday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Thursday: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... A disturbance in the upper levels of the atmosphere will approach the region late in the day and cross overnight into Sunday triggering scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. More widespread chances for storms will occur on Monday as cold front approaches from the Great Lakes region. Minimum relative humidity values are expected to range mainly from 45 to 55 percent Sunday afternoon. Values are expected to recover to 90 to near 100 percent tonight. Winds becoming light and variable to calm for the overnight, then westerly between 5 and 15 mph. && .HYDROLOGY... A disturbance in the upper levels of the atmosphere will approach the region late in the day and cross overnight into Sunday triggering scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. Fair weather is expected for much of Sunday and Sunday night. More widespread chances for storms will occur on Monday as cold front approaches from the Great Lakes region. Precipitable water values are expected to rise ahead of the approaching front to 1.5 to nearly 2 inches so the storms will be capable of very heavy downpours. Some minor urban flooding of poor drainage and low lying areas would be possible. 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/NAS SHORT TERM...BGM LONG TERM...NAS AVIATION...NAS FIRE WEATHER...IAA/BGM HYDROLOGY...IAA/BGM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 343 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-171100- 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- 343 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK...EASTERN NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW AS THERE IS A CHANCE OF NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INTO TONIGHT AHEAD OF AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
929 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
NYZ063>065-170230-
WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER-WESTERN DUTCHESS-
929 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL ULSTER AND NORTHWESTERN
DUTCHESS COUNTIES...
AT 929 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WEST
SHOKAN...OR 15 MILES NORTH OF ELLENVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
KINGSTON...SAUGERTIES...HURLEY...WOODSTOCK...OLIVEBRIDGE...
SAUGERTIES SOUTH...WOODLAND VALLEY CAMPGROUND...MOUNT TREMPER...
KENNETH L WILSON CAMPGROUND...STAATSBURG...PORT EWEN...
LAKE KATRINE...WEST HURLEY...WEST SHOKAN...TILLSON...HIGH FALLS...
ESOPUS...ROSENDALE...MARBLETOWN AND VETERAN.
LAT...LON 4179 7450 4182 7450 4184 7448 4188 7445
4190 7451 4205 7452 4209 7394 4182 7391
TIME...MOT...LOC 0129Z 265DEG 16KT 4193 7441
NASThe Albany radar (KENX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:49 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and wires were reported down at the intersection of County Route 3 and Brown Road in the hamlet of Samsonville in the town of Olive due to thunderstorm winds.
Wires were reported down on Private Lane in the town of Olive due to thunderstorm winds.
Trees and wires were downed between Hurley Mountain Road and the Hillside section of Hurley due to thunderstorm winds.
Trees and wires were down on Hillside Avenue and Lucas Road Extension in Hurley due to thunderstorm winds.
Trees and wires were downed in the Linderman Avenue section of Kingston due to thunderstorm winds. Trees were ripped from the roots and siding was damaged to a home.
Wires were downed onto a vehicle on the Boulevard in Kingston due to thunderstorm winds.
Numerous trees and wires were downed along Washington Avenue in Kingston, with the hardest hit area near the intersection with State Route 32. In addition, numerous trees and wires were downed on Fair Street in Kingston. Some of the downed trees fell on cars and homes. Also, trees were downed at the intersection of Broadway and Interstate 587. Some other trees were also downed on Foxhall Avenue, where two cars were damaged from the downed trees as well.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, July 2016
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: 638961, 638963, 638970, 638971, 638972, 638973, 638979.