Summary

Several days of severe weather culminated on Monday, May 24th, with a significant outbreak of severe weather and flash flooding. On Saturday (May 22nd) a front edged into southern New York and remained nearly stationary over the next 2 days. It separated cool air to the north from a warm sticky airmass to the south. A series of MCS's (mesoscale convective systems) developed over the Great Lakes and moved east-southeast along this front. One system produced thunderstorms (several severe) Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Much of the day Sunday remained dry. However, during the late afternoon several severe storms developed in southeast New York and Northwest Connecticut. As those storms died during the evening another round of severe storms moved into the Mohawk Valley. In addition to the severe weather, there was flash flooding in parts of the western Mohawk Valley and Adirondacks. Monday (the 24th) brought three waves of severe thunderstorms, each more intense and widespread. The first produced isolated severe weather around sunrise. During the late morning, round number two occurred as an organized line of thunderstorms raced across eastern New York and western New England. After these passed, the skies cleared. That allowed the air to heat and destabilize. Between 3 pm and 4 pm, the next batch of severe weather erupted. Some supercell cells were observed with several radar indications of possible tornadoes. Tornadoes were confirmed in Delaware and Broome Counties, NY. The storms were prolific hail produces with numerous reports of hail greater than an inch in diameter

The worst hit area was southern Washington County. Hail caused significant damage, there was some wind damage and heavy rain washed out roads. Buskirk, in Rensselaer County just over the county line from Washington County reported 4.17 inches of rain.

The National Weather Service in Albany has issued 109 Severe weather warnings this month. To date this includes 7 tornado warnings...84 Severe thunderstorm warnings and 18 Flash Flood warnings. The 109 warnings issued this month is a record with a week remaining (records since 1986). Between Saturday May 22 and Monday May 24 the National Weather Service issued 80 warnings including 7 tornado warnings, 64 severe thunderstorm warnings and 9 Flash Flood Warnings.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 1000 PM EDT MON MAY 24 2004 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0800 PM HAIL GREAT BARRINGTON 42.19N 73.36W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH BERKSHIRE MA BROADCAST MEDIA 0755 PM FLASH FLOOD 4 SSE BAKERTOWN 43.35N 74.10W 05/24/2004 SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER TOWN OF PROVIDENCE. 10 INCHES OF WATER ON CLARK ROAD. 0745 PM TSTM WND DMG PITTSFIELD 42.45N 73.26W 05/24/2004 BERKSHIRE MA TRAINED SPOTTER WIRES BLOWN DOWN. 0740 PM FLASH FLOOD EASTON 42.99N 73.55W 05/24/2004 WASHINGTON NY TRAINED SPOTTER BROOKS OUT OF BANKS. 0740 PM TSTM WND DMG EASTON 42.99N 73.55W 05/24/2004 WASHINGTON NY TRAINED SPOTTER TREES UPROOTED. 0725 PM HAIL GREENPORT CENTER 42.24N 73.76W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH COLUMBIA NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0720 PM HEAVY RAIN GREENFIELD CENTER 43.13N 73.85W 05/24/2004 2.60 INCH SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER 2.6 INCHES OF RAIN IN 20 MINUTES. 0715 PM HAIL RICHMONDVILLE 42.63N 74.56W 05/24/2004 1.25 INCH SCHOHARIE NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0715 PM HAIL BENNINGTON 42.87N 73.19W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH BENNINGTON VT TRAINED SPOTTER 0710 PM HAIL 4 SSE ACRA 42.26N 74.03W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH GREENE NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0658 PM FLASH FLOOD MALTA RIDGE 43.01N 73.79W 05/24/2004 SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER ROUTE 9 FLOODED BY HIGH POINT. 0649 PM HAIL 1 S BUSKIRK 42.94N 73.43W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH RENSSELAER NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL 2 INCHES DEEP. 0637 PM HAIL EASTON 42.99N 73.55W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH WASHINGTON NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0633 PM HAIL STILLWATER 42.95N 73.64W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL 2 TO 3 INCHES DEEP ON BLIZZARD ROAD. 0630 PM HAIL AMSTERDAM 42.94N 74.19W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH MONTGOMERY NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0628 PM HAIL 2 NNW BATCHELLERVILLE 43.24N 74.10W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0623 PM HAIL GLEN 42.89N 74.35W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH MONTGOMERY NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0618 PM HAIL MALTA 42.97N 73.79W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0618 PM HAIL SARATOGA LAKE 43.03N 73.74W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0616 PM HAIL NORTH GREENBUSH 42.67N 73.66W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH RENSSELAER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0612 PM HAIL EAST GREENBUSH 42.59N 73.70W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH RENSSELAER NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL COVERING THE GROUND. 0611 PM HAIL PITTSFIELD 42.45N 73.26W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH BERKSHIRE MA TRAINED SPOTTER 0605 PM TSTM WND DMG ROUND LAKE 42.94N 73.80W 05/24/2004 SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ON EASTLINE ROAD. 0602 PM HAIL MALTA 42.97N 73.79W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL AT ROUTE 67 AND EXIT 12 OF NORTHWAY. 0600 PM HAIL BALLSTON SPA 43.01N 73.85W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH SARATOGA NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL ON MIDDLELINE ROAD. 0557 PM TSTM WND DMG DORLOO 42.71N 74.62W 05/24/2004 SCHOHARIE NY TRAINED SPOTTER TREES DOWN. 0545 PM HAIL 4 W AWOSTING 41.67N 74.36W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH ULSTER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0536 PM HAIL DOLGEVILLE 43.10N 74.77W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0523 PM HAIL NIVERVILLE 42.45N 73.65W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH COLUMBIA NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0518 PM HAIL JOHNSTOWN 43.01N 74.37W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH FULTON NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL ON COUNTY ROUTE 101. 0515 PM HAIL SALT POINT 41.81N 73.79W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH DUTCHESS NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0510 PM HAIL CAROGA LAKE 43.14N 74.48W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH FULTON NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0510 PM HAIL COXSACKIE 42.36N 73.81W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH GREENE NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0458 PM HAIL POUGHKEEPSIE 41.70N 73.92W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH DUTCHESS NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0450 PM HAIL 1 ENE CANAJOHARIE 42.91N 74.55W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH MONTGOMERY NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0445 PM HAIL NEW PALTZ 41.75N 74.08W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH ULSTER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0430 PM HAIL 4 W AWOSTING 41.67N 74.36W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH ULSTER NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL COVERED GROUND. 0418 PM FLASH FLOOD ILION 43.01N 75.04W 05/24/2004 HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER ACME ROAD BETWEEN ILLION AND FRANKFORD. 0417 PM HAIL FRANKFORT 43.04N 75.07W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL COVERED GROUND. 0417 PM TSTM WND DMG HERKIMER 43.03N 74.99W 05/24/2004 HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER TREES DOWN. 0405 PM HAIL SOUTH ILION 43.00N 75.05W 05/24/2004 1.00 INCH HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0402 PM HAIL HERKIMER 43.03N 74.99W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0400 PM HAIL WAPPINGERS FALLS 41.60N 73.92W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH DUTCHESS NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0400 PM HAIL FRANKFORT 43.04N 75.07W 05/24/2004 1.75 INCH HERKIMER NY BROADCAST MEDIA 0400 PM HAIL NORTH ILION 43.02N 75.03W 05/24/2004 1.75 INCH HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0400 PM HAIL FRANKFORT 43.04N 75.07W 05/24/2004 1.75 INCH HERKIMER NY TRAINED SPOTTER 0905 PM HAIL SAUGERTIES 42.07N 73.95W 05/24/2004 0.88 INCH ULSTER NY TRAINED SPOTTER OBSERVED ON ROUTE 212 BETWEEN SAUGERTIES AND WOODSTOCK.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY 136 PM EDT MON MAY 24 2004 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 1230 PM HAIL FISHKILL 41.53N 73.89W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH DUTCHESS NY TRAINED SPOTTER 1214 PM TSTM WND DMG LIVINGSTON 42.14N 73.76W 05/24/2004 COLUMBIA NY TRAINED SPOTTER LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN 1144 AM HAIL LAKE HILL 42.07N 74.19W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH ULSTER NY COUNTY OFFICIAL 1130 AM TSTM WND DMG ASHLAND 42.30N 74.33W
05/24/2004 GREENE NY DEPT OF HIGHWA TREES DOWN ON ROAD 1110 AM HAIL BERNE 42.63N 74.13W 05/24/2004 0.75 INCH ALBANY NY TRAINED SPOTTER 1100 AM TSTM WND DMG MIDDLEBURGH 42.60N 74.33W 05/24/2004 SCHOHARIE NY DEPT OF HIGHWAYS TREES DOWN _____________________________________________________