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August 26, 1996 Verona Tornado
During the afternoon of August 26 1996, a severe thunderstorm moved over Oneida Lake and
across Verona Township around 500 PM EDT. This storm downed large tree limbs across Route 13
south of Sylvan Beach, as it moved to the east southeast north of the New York State
Thruway.
Several reports of dime size hail were received in Verona. Scattered trees and wires
were also downed across Verona Township between the Lake Shore and Route 365.
Based on Skywarn Spotter reports and photographs,
it appears that an F0 tornado
on the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale briefly touched down in Verona Township in the vicinity
of Verona Swamp southwest of Stooks Corners between 500 and 510 PM EDT.
There were no injuries or damage to structures reported.
The storm crossed the thruway near Bartlett, however no damage was reported in this
area. The storm moved through New Hartford between 515 and 530 PM EDT, with strong winds and
lightning downing tree limbs and wires producing widespread power outages. The damage in
the New Hartford area was not caused by a tornado.
Another storm later that evening moved through Sherrill around 640 PM EDT. Straight line
winds from this storm also downed trees and power lines.
This tornado is particularly noteworthy because it was captured on film
by Mr. Frank Hendricks, a SKYWARN ground spotter in Westmoreland, NY. These photographs
were taken looking to the northwest shortly after 5:00 PM EDT. The tornado is approximately 5
miles away. Click on the images below for a larger image.
The following images depict the storm as viewed from the WSR-88D Doppler radars in central
New York. Mr. Hendricks approximate position in Westmoreland is
noted. He is southeast of the storm for at the time of the first two images. The storm
then crosses the New York State Thruway as it passes just to the north of his location
(third image).
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This is a base reflectivity (0.5 degrees) from the West Leyden, NY, WSR-88D (KRMX) taken at 5:01 PM EDT.
Mr. Hendricks photographs were taken within a few minutes of this image time. Click on image for a larger view.
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This is a base reflectivity (0.5 degrees) from the West Leyden, NY, WSR-88D (KRMX) taken at 5:12 PM EDT.
The tornado has disapated at this time. Click on image for a larger view.
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Click on the image above to view a loop.
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The National Weather Service would like to extend special thanks to our Skywarn
observers, particularly Mr. Frank Hendricks, and Niagara Mohawk Power Company for their
assistance in obtaining information about this storm.
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