On Wednesday April 15th, a southwest flow pattern sent a mid-level shortwave disturbance into central NY, creating a favorable environment for severe thunderstorms. The combination of instability, strong wind shear, and ample moisture ultimately led to severe thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and evening.
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.
On Wednesday April 15th, a southwest flow pattern sent a mid-level shortwave disturbance into central NY, creating a favorable environment for severe thunderstorms. The combination of instability, strong wind shear, and ample moisture ultimately led to severe thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and evening. The strongest storms produced estimated damaging wind gusts of 50 knots knocking down trees and wires.
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 Apr 15, 12:49 PM EST, 5 hours 31 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Binghamton NY 149 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... No significant changes to the forecast. Still anticipating an area of thunderstorms to move through this evening and again Thursday afternoon. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) There is a threat for severe thunderstorms this evening and into the early overnight hours. Damaging winds and locally heavy rain are the main threats. 2) Another round of thunderstorms is expected Thursday afternoon and evening. Strong wind gusts and heavy rain are the primary threats. 3) A dramatic pattern shift will begin Sunday with a round of showers and storms followed by falling temperatures Sunday night and Monday, along with light snow showers and gusty northwest winds early next week. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1... The near term concerns are focused around the threat for strong to possibly severe thunderstorms later today. The environment continues to destabilize this afternoon with surface temperatures climbing into the mid to upper 70s, as of 1 PM, but will jump into the upper 70s and lower 80s in the next couple hours. Surface dew points in the lower 60s will contribute to SB CAPE values ranging from 1000-2000 J/kg, along with steepening low level lapse rates. The combination of a plume of deep available moisture, 25 to 35 kt of deep shear and mid level lapse rates around 6.7 degC/km should provide enough ingredients for deep convection and strong to possibly severe storms. Convective initiation could end up being the challenge. There really isn't any well-defined feature to provide the support for strong ascent, unless the remnants of a propagating, relatively small MCS/MCV coming out of the southern Great Lakes make it to the western NY/PA border. This potential feature could provide the support for the storms to persistent farther to the east and also maintain intensity. The primary threats within any of these storms will be damaging wind gusts between the hours of 6 PM and 12 AM. However, given the amount of deep layer moisture and PWs around 1.5 inches, and if heavy rain falls over the same area or on locations with moist antecedent surface conditions, the threat for localized flash flooding could be enhanced. The convection is expected to diminish in intensity and coverage after 1 AM Thu with fog likely late tonight and early Thu morning. KEY MESSAGE 2... The potential for another round of thunderstorms exists late in the day Thursday as well. An east-west oriented boundary across the region will lift to the north during the morning and afternoon Thursday and allow for temperatures to climb into the upper 70s and lower 80s once again. Plenty of low level moisture and increasing instability will create favorable conditions for strong to possibly severe convection later in the afternoon Thursday, and into the evening hours. An upper short wave to the west will help provide the necessary forcing for large scale ascent, and when combined with building instability should be sufficient for scattered areas of strong to possibly severe storms. The SPC Day 2 Convective Outlook is highlighting a good portion of central NY in the Slight Risk for severe storms. Convective initiation looks to be between 3-5 PM across the Finger Lakes or just to the north. These storms will push eastward quickly, initially in discrete mode, but then potentially becoming more linear with time. The primary threats are likely hail and damaging winds, but a secondary threat of a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out given the amount of shear with backed surface winds along the boundary across central NY. The threat for heavy rain leading to excessive runoff and flash flooding cannot be overlooked either. With multiple previous days of rain and wet surface conditions, any heavy rain exceeding approximately 1.5 inches in an hour could potentially cause issues. Again, after a loss of heating Thursday evening, most of the intense convection should diminish and end close to/around midnight. KEY MESSAGE 3... Confidence continues to increase in the onset of a relatively cold air mass early next week. On Saturday a deepening trough over the central US will cause a downstream ridge to amplify over the Northeast and allow for a brief warm up into the low to mid 70s. The leading edge of this cold air mass will push in from the west/sw in the form of showers and thunderstorms Sat night and early Sunday. Brief heavy rain will be followed by falling temperatures Sunday during the afternoon and Sunday night. Temperatures on Sunday midday will range from the upper 40s to mid 50s, but drop into the mid to upper 20s Sunday night. Winds will start to really increase out of the northwest Sunday night and continue through the day Monday and Mon night. Highs on Monday will only reach into the upper 30s and lower 40s...and a few lake enhanced snow showers cannot be ruled out anywhere across central NY and northeast PA. Gusty northwest winds around 20 to 30 mph will make it feel even colder at times. Drier air settles in Mon night but with mid to upper 20s once again. Temperatures recover back into the 50s and 60s going into the middle of next week. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Mainly VFR conditions are expected for most of this afternoon. However, another batch of showers and thunderstorms is expected to move through the area this evening, which will likely result in occasional restrictions. These restrictions will be mainly MVFR, but brief IFR restrictions cannot be completely ruled out. Following these showers and thunderstorms, lingering low ceilings and patchy fog/mist will likely keep restrictions around at least until 06Z, before a gradual return to VFR. Outlook: Thursday afternoon through Friday...Restrictions possible from scattered showers and thunderstorms. Saturday...Occasional restrictions possible in scattered showers and thunderstorms late in the day. Otherwise, mainly VFR. Sunday...Restrictions possible from rain showers. Sunday night through Monday...Occasional restrictions possible in scattered rain and snow showers. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. NY...None. && DISCUSSION...BJT AVIATION...BJG
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Binghamton NY 139 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046-055>057-062-PAZ038>040-043- 044-047-048-072-161745- 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- 139 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central New York and northeast Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Isolated severe storms are possible this evening, with the primary threats being damaging wind gusts and locally heavy downpours that could lead to isolated instances of flash flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Another round of severe storms is possible Thursday afternoon and evening, with the primary threats being strong to damaging wind gusts and hail, along with secondary threats of flash flooding and a few tornadoes. The potential for hazardous weather Friday through Tuesday is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures. Please relay any information about severe weather to the NWS.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Binghamton NY
630 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026
NYZ022-023-152315-
Steuben NY-Schuyler NY-
630 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN SCHUYLER AND
CENTRAL STEUBEN COUNTIES THROUGH 715 PM EDT...
At 629 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Howard, or 8 miles east of Hornell, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Corning, Bath, Campbell, Urbana, Painted Post, Hornby, Tyrone,
Howard, Thurston, and Wheeler.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4252 7764 4246 7701 4211 7696 4210 7697
4224 7758
TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 273DEG 33KT 4232 7749
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MWGSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Binghamton NY
649 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026
NYZ022-152330-
Steuben NY-
649 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN STEUBEN COUNTY THROUGH
730 PM EDT...
At 648 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Genesee, or near Wellsville, moving east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph have been observed.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Caton, Lindley, Addison, Woodhull, Jasper, Troupsburg, South Corning,
Cameron, Greenwood, and Hartsville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4227 7774 4211 7697 4200 7697 4200 7775
TIME...MOT...LOC 2248Z 269DEG 45KT 4207 7786
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
MWGSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Binghamton NY
704 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026
NYZ022>025-152345-
Steuben NY-Chemung NY-Schuyler NY-Tompkins NY-
704 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN SCHUYLER...NORTHERN
CHEMUNG...EAST CENTRAL STEUBEN AND SOUTHWESTERN TOMPKINS COUNTIES
THROUGH 745 PM EDT...
At 703 PM EDT, emergency management reported a strong thunderstorm
producing pea size hail moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Emergency management.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Horseheads, Newfield, Campbell, Erin, Watkins Glen, Catharine,
Montour Falls, Hornby, Bradford, and Odessa.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4239 7717 4241 7655 4214 7656 4222 7722
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 266DEG 34KT 4230 7710
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MWGThe Binghamton radar (KBGM), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:22 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong thunderstorm winds brought down a tree, power lines, and three utility poles on Mormon Hollow Drive.
Strong thunderstorm winds brought down a tree and blocked County Route 81.
Strong thunderstorm winds brought a tree down on County Route 100.
Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on a house and went through the roof.
Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on a house on Caroline Drive.
Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a couple of trees at Bridge Street and Chapel Street Intersection.
Strong thunderstorm winds knocked wires down.
Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on Cashmere Road near Old Route 17.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, April 2026
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: 1332292, 1332293, 1332294, 1332295, 1332296, 1332297, 1332319, 1332320.