On the evening of April 15th, a line of thunderstorms tracking east over Lake Erie intensified as they tracked onshore into northwestern Pennsylvania, Chautauqua County and Southern Erie County. As the storms continued east they became severe, causing two tornadoes in Cattaraugus County along with damaging wind gusts across a large chunk of the Western Southern Tier.
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 BUF wrote it up.
On the evening of April 15th, a line of thunderstorms tracking east over Lake Erie intensified as they tracked onshore into northwestern Pennsylvania, Chautauqua County and Southern Erie County. As the storms continued east they became severe, causing two tornadoes in Cattaraugus County along with damaging wind gusts across a large chunk of the Western Southern Tier. The thunderstorms were associated with a Mesoscale Convective Vortex, that per usual for these types of setups, had plenty of shear to support the development of a tornado or two. Due to the lower instability values along with showers and increased cloud cover ahead of and behind the primary line, additional thunderstorms weren't able to develop.
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 Buffalo, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 15, 1:40 PM EST, 4 hours 58 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Buffalo NY 240 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... The severe thunderstorm threat has again slightly increased across the Southern Tier late this afternoon and this evening. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Warm with rounds of showers and thunderstorms through Thursday. 2) Severe thunderstorms remain possible through Thursday, with locally heavy rainfall also possible through tonight. 3) The very warm pattern continues through Saturday before much colder air arrives by early next week. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1...Warm with rounds of showers and thunderstorms through Thursday. Our unsettled pattern will continue through Thursday with a persistent frontal zone remaining in place across the Great Lakes and Northeast...with multiple shortwave impulses (some convectively enhanced) and their associated surface reflections rippling northeastward along the frontal zone and causing it to waver about...while also generating additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms. Currently our region is in between rounds of convection...with the all-but-dead remnants of some earlier upstream showers/storms crossing the Niagara Frontier in the form of some sprinkles or very light showers. As we push through the rest of this afternoon the combination of increasing diurnal instability and localized convergence along the southern edge of the Lake Erie lake breeze may allow for some scattered to briefly numerous showers and storms to initially develop across the southern Tier and interior of the Finger Lakes...before an upstream MCV (currently over Indiana) begins encroaching upon the area from the southwest early this evening. Better forcing attendant to this feature will combine with lingering instability to produce a round of numerous to fairly widespread showers and storms across areas south of the NYS Thruway during the early to mid evening hours...with the areal coverage of the pcpn/pcpn potential diminishing with further northward extent elsewhere. Following the passage of the MCV...we'll likely experience another relative lull in convective potential through the late evening and early overnight hours...with some additional warm advection-driven showers and scattered storms then possible overnight into early Thursday in association with another wave of low pressure making its way into the central Great Lakes and its attendant warm front. With the latter...have confined PoPs to likely or lower for now given the poorer agreement on the timing/placement of convection seen in the shorter-term guidance. Thursday and Thursday evening...the aforementioned surface wave and its parent mid-level shortwave trough will make their way east and across our region...and in the process will push the frontal boundary southeastward across our region as a cold front during the afternoon and evening. With modest to moderate instability developing out ahead of the front...the combination of low level convergence along the front/localized lake breeze boundaries and DCVA/height falls aloft should have little trouble generating another round of fairy widespread showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and early evening hours...with the convection then fading from NW-SE during the evening with the loss of heating and the passage of the cold front. This system will then depart off to our east later Thursday night and Friday...with any leftover spotty showers at the start of Friday giving way to a mainly dry and somewhat cooler day (though temps will still be well above normal) as narrow ridging both at the surface and aloft builds across our region. KEY MESSAGE 2...Severe thunderstorms remain possible in some areas through Thursday, with locally heavy rainfall also possible. Through Thursday/Thursday evening there will be two main windows for potentially strong to severe thunderstorms. The first of these will be this evening south of the NYS Thruway (more so across the Southern Tier) in association with passage of the above mentioned MCV. Provided enough of a reservoir of instability remains to allow the stronger convection with this feature to extend northward into our area...the accompanying stronger forcing/increased shear may be supportive of a few strong to damaging wind gusts...as well as a lower but nonzero potential for marginally severe hail and/or an isolated tornado. The second opportunity for strong to severe thunderstorms will be Thursday afternoon and evening...in tandem with the approach/passage of the main shortwave trough/cold front and an accompanying enhanced swath of low-mid level flow. With modest to moderate instability likely to develop across the region out ahead of the cold front (particularly from the Genesee Valley/Finger Lakes eastward into central NY)...the dynamic/kinematic forcing from the above features should be sufficient for at least some stronger multicellular convection and possibly even a few supercells...with damaging wind gusts again the primary hazard. This being said...large hail and an isolated tornado or two again cannot be ruled out...particularly from the Genesee Valley/Finger Lakes eastward to central NY where instability should be greater. Finally...there will also be a lower-end potential for excessive rainfall/flooding through Thursday given the moist ground conditions and PWATs of 1.25/1.5"...though given the fast flow aloft and resultant expected quick storm motion this would likely only be a concern if any areas of training were to develop. KEY MESSAGE 3...The very warm pattern continues through Saturday before much colder air arrives by early next week. Well above normal temperatures will continue through Saturday as our region will remain in the warm sector of a deepening trough over the Upper Great Lakes/an associated surface low making its way to near James Bay. Temperatures will soar into at least the mid to upper 70s...with 80s a possibility if clouds and showers hold off long enough. The strong cold front trailing from the low will then plow across our region late Saturday afternoon and night while generating another round of widespread showers and thunderstorms... some of which could be severe depending upon the exact timing of the front/amount of instability in place. In the wake of this front...deep upper level troughing and a much colder airmass will overspread our region Sunday through Monday... with 850 mb temps plunging into the -10C to -14C range by late Sunday night/early Monday. This will rudely send temperatures back down to levels more typical of March...with the cold airmass and northwest flow regime also supporting lake effect and upslope snow showers in a northwest flow regime Sunday night through Monday morning. This being said...moisture appears limited and the favorable synoptic scale setup is rather brief, so any accumulations will be minor. Highs Monday will only be in the upper 30s/lower 40s at best, and may stay in the 30s areawide if clouds persist most of the day. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Heading into the afternoon, lingering low level clouds persist across the eastern Lake Ontario region this afternoon, supporting the only IFR conditions region. Otherwise in the wake of this morning's line of thunderstorms, conditions across the remainder of the area have improved to VFR, supporting destabilization and gusty winds with southwest to westerly winds gusting between 25 to 35 knots across Western New York and the Genesee Valley. The next round of convection will move in from west to east in the next few hours, with the best timing of arrival being around 21Z. A few thunderstorms may become severe, with the best location for severe weather lying between KJHW to KELZ. Storms across the Southern Tier will likely produce severe gusts. Additionally an isolated tornado can't be ruled our and a lesser chance for severe hail. Showers and storms will likely remain within the vicinity of the Southern Tier tonight, with ceilings to deteriorate to IFR areawide. Outlook... Thursday and Thursday night...VFR/MVFR with some local IFR possible at times due to numerous rounds of showers and scattered thunderstorms. Friday...VFR/MVFR with showers possible. Saturday...Mainly VFR with a chance for showers later in the afternoon. Sunday...A mixture of MVFR/IFR with rain showers mixing with and changing over to snow throughout the day. Monday...Improving to VFR/MVFR. Lingering lake enhanced snow showers and clouds gradually dissipate. && .MARINE... Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms will cross the lakes through Thursday, a few of which may produce strong surface wind gusts and locally higher waves. Otherwise the warmer airmass and relatively cold lake temperatures will result in limited mixing of synoptic winds...thereby precluding any real risk of advisory-level conditions. Relatively light winds and minimal wave action are then expected later Thursday night and Friday as high pressure builds across the Lower Great Lakes...before winds increase out of the south/southwest Saturday/Saturday night in association with the approach/passage of a strong cold front. This may result in the next round of SCA conditions with the frontal passage also accompanied by another round of showers and storms...some of which could produce locally stronger winds and higher waves. && .BUF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...None. MARINE...None. && DISCUSSION...JJR AVIATION...EAJ MARINE...JJR
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Buffalo NY 243 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 NYZ010>014-019>021-085-161845- Northern Erie-Genesee-Wyoming-Livingston-Ontario-Chautauqua- Cattaraugus-Allegany-Southern Erie- 243 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western New York. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Another second round of thunderstorms is expected late this afternoon and evening, with a greater chance of severe thunderstorms across the Southern Tier. The primary severe weather risk will be isolated damaging wind gusts, with a secondary lower risk of large hail and an isolated tornado. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Additional rounds of showers and scattered thunderstorms will cross the region Thursday. Some of these storms may become severe. The primary severe weather risk will be isolated damaging wind gusts, with a secondary lower risk of large hail and an isolated tornado. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf NYZ001>008-161845- Niagara-Orleans-Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-Oswego-Jefferson-Lewis- 243 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north central New York. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. A second round of showers and thunderstorms is possible late this afternoon and this evening, but the greater severe weather risk will likely remain south of the NYS Thruway. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Additional rounds of showers and scattered thunderstorms will cross the region Thursday. Some of these storms may become severe. The primary severe weather risk will be isolated damaging wind gusts, with a secondary lower risk of large hail and an isolated tornado. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf LEZ020-040-041-LOZ030-042>045-062>065-SLZ022-024-161845- Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Ripley to Dunkirk- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Dunkirk to Buffalo- Lower Niagara River- Lake Ontario nearshore waters from the Niagara River to Hamlin Beach- Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay- Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay- Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River- Lake Ontario open waters from the Niagara River to Hamlin Beach- Lake Ontario open waters from Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay- Lake Ontario open waters from Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay- Lake Ontario open waters from Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River- Saint Lawrence River from Cape Vincent to Ogdensburg- Saint Lawrence River from Ogdensburg to Saint Regis- 243 PM EDT Wed Apr 15 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the New York waters of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the Saint Lawrence River. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected late this afternoon and evening, with a greater chance of severe thunderstorms across Lake Erie. The primary severe weather risk will be isolated damaging wind gusts and locally higher waves, with a secondary lower risk of large hail and an isolated tornado. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Additional rounds of showers and scattered thunderstorms will cross the region Thursday. Some of these storms may become severe. The primary severe weather risk will be isolated strong wind gusts and locally higher waves, with a secondary lower risk of large hail and an isolated tornado. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf JJR
The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:38 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Reports of several trees, power lines and power poles downed across Cherry Creek.
Trees and wires were downed in Leon.
Several reports of trees and wires downed in Cattaraugus.
Several reports of trees and wires downed in New Albion.
Several reports of trees and wires downed in Delevan.
Several reports of trees and wires downed in Machias.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo investigated storm-related damage from a rotating thunderstorm within a line of storms that affected the area southeast of Machias in Cattaraugus County on April 15th. The National Weather Service storm survey team investigated the damage in the area and confirmed damage consistent with an EF-0 tornado with estimated peak winds of 75 mph.
Several trees uprooted in multiple directions shortly after the intersection of Tug Hill Road and Gulf Hill Road. Primary residence had a window blown in the upper most story of the house, with a secondary residence loosing a few roof shingles.
NWS storm survey confirmed 80mph EF-0 tornado damage in the Town of Farmersville with a path length of 0.23 mi and width of 75 yds.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo received a report on Friday evening of storm damage to seasonal properties in the Town of Farmersville in Cattaraugus County that was suspected to be from a tornado. Upon surveying the damage, the NWS storm survey team was able to confirm EF-0 tornado damage over a path length of just below a quarter of a mile with a maximum estimated wind speed of 80 mph.
Quarter mile swath of tree and powerline damage on Water Wells Road in Alfred.
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 historyThe tornado archive for New York, 2026Warnings 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: 1329569, 1329570, 1329571, 1329572, 1329573, 1329574, 1318950, 1318952, 1329575.