Two More Tornadoes Confirmed in New York, Bringing Grand Total to 31 in a Year

An uncomfortable record was just set in New York after two tornadoes touched down on the same day this week.

So far this year, 31 tornadoes have torn across New York State. The first one, which was rated EF-1, touched down in Chenango last February.

Read More: Extremely Rare Winter Tornado Confirmed in Central New York

The second tornado of the year struck West Winfield on June 22. After that, it seemed one was touching down somewhere in the state every other day.

The month of July currently holds the record for the most tornadoes, 20, in a single month. Precisely half of that number touched down on a single day, July 16, the same day Rome was terrorized by an EF-2 twister.

Tornadic activity cooled somewhat in August, with the National Weather Service confirming just 3 in the state that month.

Now, it seems tornado alley is waking up yet again in New York. One twister touched down in WNY back on September 6, pushing the grand total up to 29 in a single year. That number went up by two more just a few days later.

As severe thunderstorms ripped across Upstate New York on Tuesday, September 9, twisters struck the the Towns of Pembroke and Grand Island.

The NWS' Buffalo office said the EF-0 tornado in Grand Island formed around 4:33 p.m. and remained on the ground for 3 minutes. The NWS said it achieved max wind speed of 85 miles per hour and carved a path of destruction 1.2 miles long and 75 yards wide.

The second twister, confirmed in Pembroke, was much weaker. The EF-0 tornado touched down around 8:32 p.m. and lasted for about 2 minutes. During that time, it sustained max wind speeds of 75 miles per hour and traveled 0.2 miles.

Is this the new normal for New York and we should just accept that the state is the new tornado alley of the northeast? Science and Operations Officer at the Binghamton NWS Brian Tentinger says that is not exactly the case.

Read More: Why Has New York Become a Tornado Hotspot All of a Sudden?

Tentinger said the conditions the state is experiencing this year are similar to the weather conditions from 1992, which previously set the record for most tornadoes in a single year.  He said 32 years ago, the state witnessed 25 confirmed tornadoes.

That said, it is possible New York will continue to see more tornadoes into the winter - but it's unknown if the trend will continue past 2025 due to the formation of La Niña, which will usher in weather patterns that aren't as favorable for severe storms.

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