Thunderstorm Wind — Albany, New York

2002-08-14 · near Albany, Albany, New York

Wider weather episode

An upper level disturbance triggered scattered thunderstorms across eastern New York during the afternoon of August 14. The airmass was exceptionally hot and humid, allowing some of the storms to pulse to severe levels. Severe thunderstorms especially pounded Albany County, despositing quarter size hail in the city of Albany during the afternoon hours. Winds from the storm blew a 40 by 40 foot tent, used by city vendors, into one of the pools at the Empire State Plaza, resulting in nine injured people. Three of them had to be hospitalized. Winds from the storms brought down trees and powerlines in the town of Colonie. A microburst, with winds estimated as high as 80 mph, hit the town of Guilderland, namely the Fort Hunter and Guilderland Center sections. Many trees were destroyed in these areas. One tree fell on a car, trapping the driver and resulting in minor injuries. This microburst not only downed a huge swath of trees, but many of the trees fell down on, or even into, buildings, producing at least minor damage to as many as 50 structures. A two story residence was nearly cut in half when a pine tree fell on it. A farmhouse was damaged when a stand of trees was blown onto it. Part of the roof at the Town's Highway Department was torn off as well as the Guilderland High School. Trees were toppled onto the New York State Thruway, temporarily closing the road between exit 25 and exit 26. A portion of a cornfield was flattened. The town Supervisor of Guilderland declared a state of emergency for that town. Guilderland also filed for Federal Aid. Winds from other thunderstorms brought down trees and wires in the town of Niskayuna in Schenectady County, Ballston Spa in Saratoga County and Canan in Columbia County. Between 15,000 and 20,000 residents were temporarily without power in the Greater Capital District as a result of the storms.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (42.6500, -73.7667)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5312965. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.