Why have there been so many tornadoes in New York this year?
Outside tornado alley, the Empire State does not experience frequent tornado activity like, say, Texas, Iowa or Oklahoma. But this is not a typical year.
A tornado sent debris flying in downtown Buffalo, New York, on Aug. 5.
When you think of the movie Twisters or actual tornadoes, New York isn't exactly a state that comes to mind. Outside tornado alley, the Empire State does not experience frequent tornado activity like, say, Texas or Oklahoma. But this is not a typical year.
Through mid-September, out of more than 1,600 reported tornadoes in the United States, Texas, Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois accounted for 535 of them, a testament to the realities of living in tornado alley.
But New York state notably has had 32 tornadoes between Jan. 1 and Sept. 15. Most of the tornadoes, 23, hit in July, but three more touched down in August, then four in September.
A recent EF0 tornado touched down in Grand Island, New York, near Niagara Falls in the afternoon on Sept. 9, as well as two others in Pembroke and Worth, bringing the annual New York total to 32 - the most ever in the state.
In 1992, 25 reported tornadoes impacted the state, and in 1993 and 2011, 21 tornadoes were recorded. In such a historic year, what explains the influx of twisters into New York state?
Gov. Kathy Hochul surveys tornado damage in Rome, N.Y., Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (Photo credit: (Office of the New York Governor/Mike Groll via AP)
Hurricane Beryl and more
Peaking as a Category 5 hurricane, Beryl slammed into Texas on July 8, becoming the first landfall of 2024, causing $28-$32 billion in damage. After moving on from the Deep South, the storm made its way north, eventually arriving in the Great Lakes region and wreaking havoc in western New York in mid-July. The confluence of Beryl's moisture and a warm front led to 42 tornado warnings across the state on July 10, setting a single-day record for the most warnings in the state.
Less than a week later, on July 16, 10 more tornadoes touched down, including in Rome, where an EF2 tornado traveled more than 5 miles and had peak winds of 135 mph. One of those tornadoes killed an 82-year-old who was struck by debris.
A car sits under rubble, Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Rome, N.Y., after a nearby building on W. Dominick was destroyed one week earlier by an EF2 tornado. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
The month of July set a record with 57 tornado warnings in the state, the most since 1986.
But, what are some other reasons for more reported tornadoes in New York this year? One is improved weather technology, which can get a better handle on tornadoes and their impact, especially in remote rural areas. AccuWeather has reported about how improvements in forecasting and warnings have helped save lives in extreme weather. The advent of cellphone cameras and social media also means that more tornadoes have been documented over the years.
Outside of Beryl, the state of New York endured an unusually warm and moist summer. As storms rode a ridge of high pressure in the East, that warm, moist air helped spawn additional severe storms, AccuWeather Northeast Expert Dave Dombek says.
Report a Typo
