New York Is Officially 1 Tornado away from Record 30 Striking the State
The National Weather Service confirmed tornado #29 touched down in the state over the weekend.
It has been an unreal year of tornadic activity, with the state breaking a 32-year record for the most twisters in a single year.
Read More: EF-1 Tornado in Buffalo Breaks Record Held Since 1992
The first twister to hit the state this year was back in February, the second time ever in state history.
July 2024 was a record-setter in its own right, with 20 tornadoes terrorizing New York State, making it the most to touch down in a single month.
The state fortunately saw a decrease in severe weather last month, with the National Weather Service confirming another 3 impacted the state. Tornado #26 caused some damage in Buffalo, while tornadoes #27 and #28 impacted New Paltz and Fowler.
This weekend, a rare September tornado struck the Town of Wirt, which is in Allegany County. The NWS confirmed tornado #29 hit the ground at 9:34 p.m. on Friday, September 6, and lasted for almost 20 minutes.
The twister reached max wind speeds of 100 mph, which is enough for it to be classified as an EF-1. Its path of destruction was 6 miles long and 200 yards wide.
The twister eventually petered out at 9:50 p.m. after crossing into the Town of Friendship in Western New York.
The NWS reported no injuries and that the tornado caused extensive tree damage.
The first instance of damage noted near the touchdown point was several hardwood and softwood trees uprooted and snapped in a heavily forested area along Clair Carrier Road.
"Minor tree damage" was found on Burdick Road before the twister intensified as it crossed County Route 34.
The NWS said it "produced extensive tree damage with several dozen hardwood and softwood trees snapped or uprooted along a concentrated path, including several large trees."
The most damage appeared to be on Wells Road, where it snapped and uprooted "several dozen softwood trees," most of which were pines.
"One tree fell on a nearby residence and produced minor roof damage, but none of the structures in the area had any direct damage from wind," the report continued.
The twister ended "in a heavily forested area to the northeast of County Route 31," said the NWS.
New York is officially 1 more confirmed tornado away from 30, which would be 5 more than the previous record of 25 that was set in 1992.
Obviously, the big question is if New York will see 30 tornadoes in a single year. It could happen, with the NWS saying CNY is under a "marginal risk" of thunderstorms this afternoon, September 9, which could produce "gusty winds and small hail."
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