New York or Kansas? It was easy to get the two confused the past two weeks as tornadoes ripped through New York.
In total, 16 tornadoes have been confirmed as of July 19, breaking a record for the most tornadoes seen in the state in the month of July ever. Equally as impressive: So far this month, New York has seen more tornadoes than Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Mississippi and Alabama combined.
From west to east across the state, the first tornado confirmed was in the town of Pavillion in Genesee County. Just after 2 p.m. on Monday, July 15, an EF - 0 tornado spun up. It reached up to 85 mph and left behind a path of destruction, especially to trees, that was about 3/4 of a mile long and cut right through the village.
The second tornado occurred in Canandaigua on Monday. After a survey, the storm was found to be an EF-0 with maximum wind speeds of 95 mph. It developed along the northern shore of Canandaigua Lake and traveled about one mile on the ground before lifting. Trees in the area were hardest hit but many structures, including a strip mall, suffered damage.
The third and most significant tornado the state experienced was in Rome. Surveyors there determined the tornado was a strong EF-2. That means winds peaked around 135 mph. It began around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and stayed on the ground for a little more than five miles. Images from Rome show just how extensive the damage is to the city. Multiple structures, including a church, were seriously damaged with many losing their roofs.
The fourth tornado occurred in Virgil and was rated an EF-0 after finding damage to a lot of trees in the area and to a few homes. Homeowners saw mainly minor damage to their roofs as this tornado tracked to just south of Cortlandville.
The fifth tornado of the day occurred in Canastota, in Madison County around 3 p.m. This storm produced winds up to 100 mph! It was on the ground for almost a mile and a half unfortunately hitting railroad tracks, multiple buildings and homes in addition to many trees. This tornado sadly is the cause of one death. An 82-year-old man was outside as the storm approached and was struck by debris which ultimately led to his death.
The sixth tornado occurred in Wells in Hamilton County. This storm was rated an EF-1. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado produced winds near 100 mph, leaving behind about a 300-yard path of downed trees.
The seventh tornado was in Piesco in Hamilton County. Around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, this tornado developed. Winds climbed to about 100 mph and stayed on the ground for a little more than half a mile. Near Oxbow Lake, numerous trees and utility poles snapped. There was also minor structural damage to neighboring homes and businesses. Because of that, it was determined that this tornado was an EF-1.
The eighth tornado occurred in Warrensburg in Warren County. Just before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, a tornado developed. Along Route 28, numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. Several utility poles were also snapped. This tornado dissipated after being on the ground for about 1/4 of a mile just before reaching Potterbook Road. It was found that this storm was an EF-0 tornado with maximum winds climbing to about 85 mph.
The ninth and final confirmed tornado of the day occurred in Saratoga County, just northeast of Edinburg. It developed around 4:45 p.m. and produced wind speeds up to 110 mph. It was on the ground for just about half a mile before lifting. Although small in size, a good deal of damage was produced, especially to trees in the area. A good amount of that damage was caused by downdraft winds.
Wondering about the tornadoes that occurred last week? Click here.
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