July 8, 2014, was an active weather day across the entire state of New York. Forecasters were tracking strong thunderstorms racing across the state from the mid-afternoon right through sundown.
Meteorologists expected a potential for tornadoes, but no one knew a tornado would form in a small community and be so fast and so strong, that it would become one of the deadliest in our state's history.
Smithfield is a small town in Madison County. The area had seen strong storms and damaging winds before, but it would be forever changed after an EF-2 tornado, with winds maxing out at 135 mph, ripped through that evening.
As storms were popping up across the state, one storm in Onondaga County caught forecasters' attention. It had winds clocking in at 85 mph and was showing rotation. The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning there, but it did not include Smithfield.
As all eyes were on this tornado-warned storm, a new storm was forming near Smithfield. The lowest beam from the Binghamton Doppler radar took several minutes to scan through, and that beam is about 13,000 feet off the ground in that area. It did not show the entire picture of what was happening.
During this radar scan, an EF-2 tornado traveled 1,000 feet down the ridge at 50 mph and killed four people before disappearing as quickly as it formed. By the time forecasters saw the complete radar scan, the damage was done.
As a meteorologist, I try to use this tragedy as a learning lesson and to help my viewers and other communities avoid a similar situation. Although the storm that killed four people was not warned for a tornado, there were Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for Madison County and surrounding areas.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued for damaging winds and/or hail, but those storms do sometimes carry the possibility of a tornado. So, even if a storm is "only" warned as a severe thunderstorm, you must still be ready.
Meteorologists encourage their viewers to be "weather-aware" on weather days. To be weather-aware means to understand that there will be high-impact weather that could be a risk to your property or your life.
When I tell my viewers to be weather-aware, I want them to keep checking back in with our forecast throughout the day, including using our Spectrum News App and signing up for alerts and notifications so that they know what is going on where they are.
I also understand that we feel "the boy crying wolf" when warned storms don't produce the strong or damaging weather as expected. I understand how frustrating that can be, but the bottom line is that you have to act with the same level of attention and preparedness every single time!
As the community of Smithfield will tell you, it can happen to anyone–even you.
As we approach the severe weather season, I ask you to have a plan. Know how you will get current and accurate weather information. Have a place in your home to take shelters, such as your basement or an interior room.
Make sure all members of your family are weather-aware of active weather days and they have a plan as well. Be safe this spring and summer season.