Severe Storms of May 31, 2002
Four years to the day after the Mechanicville tornado, widespread severe weather with several tornadoes again occurred in eastern New York and western New England. Here is some preliminary information on the storms.
Tornado #1 - Johnstown, NYTornado #2 - Whaley Lake in Dutchess County (this tornado may have continued into Connecticut)
Complete Local Storm ReportPhotos from May 31, 2002
| Fulton County Tornado | |
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| Dutchess County Tornado | |
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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 332 PM EDT SAT JUN 1 2002 ...TORNADO CONFIRMED AT WHALEY LAKE IN DUTCHESS COUNTY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT ALBANY SENT OUT A STORM SURVEY TEAM TO DUTCHESS COUNTY TO INVESTIGATE STORM DAMAGE FROM FRIDAY MAY 31, 2002. AT 702 PM EDT IN THE VICINITY OF ROUTE 292...THERE WERE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN. ON THE WEST SIDE OF WHALEY LAKE...THERE WAS A SWATH ABOUT 50 YARDS WIDE WITH TREES DOWN. THE TREES WERE DOWN IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS WITH THEIR TOPS TWISTED. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETERMINED THIS DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY AN F0/F1 TORNADO. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH. THE LENGTH OF THIS PATH WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 100 YARDS LONG. TORNADO DAMAGE WAS ALSO EVIDENT ON THE EAST SIDE OF WHALEY LAKE. THERE WAS A LARGE AREA OF TREES DOWN IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS AROUND A HALF A MILE LONG.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 750 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002 ...TORNADO CONFIRMED AT JOHNSTOWN IN FULTON COUNTY... AT 155 PM EDT IN THE TOWN OF JOHNSTOWN...FULTON COUNTY THERE WAS A TWO PART STORM. THE SOUTHERN PORTION WAS A DOWNBURST WHICH FLATTENED A WIDE SWATH OF TREES FROM ABOUT 1/2 MILE SOUTHEAST OF TOWN EASTWARD FOR ABOUT 1/2 MILE ACROSS ROUTE 30A INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD EAST OF THE HOLIDAY INN. ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THIS DAMAGE SWATH ALONG ROUTE 30A THE HOLIDAY THEATER WAS STRUCK BY AN F0 OR F1 SCALE TORNADO. THE THEATER HAD SECTIONS OF THE ROOF BLOWN OFF AND ALSO A SECTION OF THE BACK WALL WAS BLOWN OUT. BEHIND THE THEATER TREES WERE UPROOTED AND KNOCKED DOWN IN BOTH A NORTH AND EAST DIRECTION IN A CRISSCROSS PATTERN. AT THE HOLIDAY INN NEXT DOOR THE FRONT DOOR WAS TORN OFF AND TWO CARS WERE DAMAGED. SOME DEBRIS FROM THE HOLIDAY THEATER MARQUEE WAS FOUND ABOUT 1/3 MILE AWAY. $$
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
851 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2002
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0115 PM ILION NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 HERKIMER NUMEROUS TREE LIMBS DOWN.
ILION DPW.
0155 PM JOHNSTOWN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON PART OF ROOF BLOWN OFF AT
HOLIDAY INN AT JOHNSTOWN
0155 PM GLOVERSVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN
0155 PM JOHNSTOWN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 FULTON POWERLINES AND TREES DOWN
0155 PM JOHNSTOWN NY TORNADO
05/31/02 FULTON F0/F1 TORNADO CONFIRMED BY
NWS EMPLOYEE. ROOF BLOWN
OFF THEATER AND WALL BLOWN
OUT.
0223 PM NEW PALTZ NY 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 ULSTER GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL
0224 PM FT ANN NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WASHINGTON TREES DOWN
0224 PM SARATOGA SPGS NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SARATOGA NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
0229 PM WHITEHALL NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WASHINGTON TREES DOWN
0229 PM GLENS FALLS NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 WARREN TREES DOWN
0230 PM FT JOHNSON NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 MONTGOMERY NUMEROUS TREES AND WIRES
DOWN...ROADS CLOSED
0255 PM ROTTERDAM NY 60 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/02 SCHENECTADY MEASURED WIND 55 TO 60 MPH
0315 PM BENNINGTON VT WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 BENNINGTON NUMEROUS TREES AND WIRES
DOWN
0320 PM HOOSICK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 RENSSELAER TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0325 PM SALT PT NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0358 PM GOSHEN CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0400 PM BAKERSVILLE CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0405 PM BAKERSVILLE CT 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD 1" HAIL REPORTED
0410 PM TORRINGTON CT 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0412 PM CLAVERACK NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 COLUMBIA TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
0415 PM CORNWALL CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0438 PM JOHNSTOWN NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 FULTON PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0455 PM GLEN NY 71 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/02 MONTGOMERY MEASURED WIND GUST OF 71
MPH
0459 PM GLEN NY 71 MPH TSTM GUST
05/31/02 MONTGOMERY 71 MPH WIND MEASURED
0500 PM BECKET MA WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 BERKSHIRE 7 TO 8 TREES DOWN
0502 PM BAKERSVILLE CT 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD 1 INCH HAIL
0506 PM NEW PALTZ NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 ULSTER DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0509 PM SARATOGA SPGS NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SARATOGA NUMEROUS TREES AND
POWERLINES DOWN
0510 PM COBLESKILL NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SCHOHARIE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
0510 PM RICHMONDVILLE NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SCHOHARIE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
0515 PM MIDDLEBURG NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SCHOHARIE POWERLINES DOWN
0517 PM ROTTERDAM NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 SCHENECTADY TREES DOWN
0535 PM TORRINGTON CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0536 PM SALT PT NY .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0539 PM TORRINGTON CT 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0539 PM TORRINGTON CT WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD TREES DOWN
0542 PM TROY NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 RENSSELAER ROOF BLOWN OFF HOUSE
0545 PM DOVER PLAINS NY 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS QUARTER SIZE HAIL
0555 PM WILLIAMSTOWN MA WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 BERKSHIRE TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0600 PM LANESBOROUGH MA WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 BERKSHIRE TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0600 PM LENOX MA WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 BERKSHIRE TREES AND WIRES DOWN
0600 PM OTIS MA WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 BERKSHIRE TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN
0600 PM STOCKBRIDGE MA WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 BERKSHIRE TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN
0610 PM NY WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 ULSTER NUMEROUS TREES AND
POWERLINES DOWN
0620 PM MORRIS CT .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
0635 PM POUGHKEEPSIE NY 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS
0639 PM CANAAN CT WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD TREES DOWN
0639 PM THOMASTON CT 2 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD
0703 PM WHALEY LAKE NY TORNADO
05/31/02 DUTCHESS SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTED
TORNADO CROSSED WHALEY
LAKE.
0710 PM WINGDALE NY 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS QUARTER INCH HAIL REPORTED
0710 PM WINGDALE NY 1 INCH HAIL
05/31/02 DUTCHESS REPORTED BY SKYWARN
SPOTTER.
0740 PM BRIDGE WATER CT WIND DAMAGE
05/31/02 LITCHFIELD TREES AND WIRES DOWN