to New York and New England during the pre-dawn hours on Labor day. Derechos are an extremely uncommon weather formation and today Upstate New York was hit by one of the most famous ever. “We were originally scheduled to start that Wednesday,” Paulsen says, “But we ended up starting on Thursday. damage and many produced large hail. Not to mention the effect it had on local businesses – even those that sustained little to no damage. “It was like nothing I had ever seen before – one flash right after the other, non-stop for what felt like hours.”The storm started in the early hours of September 7, 1998, in the Western part of New York. The complex reached Syracuse shortly after 1:00am … I thought. For moments I was confused by the barrage of sensations - noise assaulted my ears; blinding flashes of light seemed everywhere; I was drenched.
The Labor Day Storm of 1998 1:30 in the morning, and something jolted me out of sound sleep. The overall estimated cost of damage was $130 million dollars. One, foreshadowing the event which would occur in New York City later that day, occurred from Midnight EDT through 6am EDT, in New England. start of summer, Memorial day, and the unofficial close of summer, Labor "The oak tree has come down!" Near midnight, a supercell thunderstorm developed in Niagara County, New York and began moving rapidly eastward. One day may not seem like a big deal now, but as a fifth grader, it was great.”Most schools in the area did not start until Thursday, September 10th, while others were forced to wait for power to be returned – which in some cases took up to five days following the storm.Oneida county and eight others were declared a “disaster emergency” by then Governor George Pataki. day. the season's most violent outbreaks of thunderstorms occurred on the unofficial The U.S. Even local schools were affected.Justine Paulsen (22), of New Hartford, recalls downed trees and power lines, but most importantly, a delay in the first day of school. Day before I was going back to college for first time in 2 years. A violent It may have rained all through Labor Day this year, but it was nothing compared to Labor Day Derecho twelve years ago. After Although the damage left in Utica is no longer visible, the Labor Day Derecho still left its mark as one of the worst storms to hit Utica in the past ten years. Labor Day Derecho (Severe T-Storm Outbreak) Early Morning: Sept 7, 1998. It's interesting to note here that Anyone who lived in Central New York in 1998, and is currently over the age of twenty, will recall at least something about the storm. Most people will recall the damage that hit Syracuse, particularly the New York State Fair.September 7th was scheduled to be the last fair day, and fairgoers had hopes of breaking an attendance record that year. By 2:30am the storm had reached Utica and surrounding areas. the Mechanicville-Stillwater tornado and widespread damaging wind event on Memorial day, widespread organized severe weather returned The Labor Day Derecho of 1998 A look at one of the worst storms to hit the area. Went to buy clothes at Marshalls. When Labor Day weekend was over in 1998, the ESF campus was littered with trees, branches and broken glass after a violent storm swept across Central New York.
Both storms left tremendous damage in their wake, with a total of 72 people injured and seven people dead between the two.Around 12:30am that Monday morning, the Weather Channel issued a warning that said, “Winds and large hail are likely go inside a sturdy building and stay away from windows!” Initial thoughts were that a tornado may take shape following the original storm outside of Buffalo, NY. a very quiet summer with no significant severe weather outbreaks following
Anyone who lived in Central New York in 1998, and is currently over the age of twenty, will recall at least something about the storm. There was also a second derecho, which began in lower Michigan around 4am and culminated in New York City almost twelve hours later. Labor Day 1998 was actually characterized by two separate derecho events. line of t-storms (a derecho) developed in advance of a strong push of dry chilly air moving in from southeast Canada sweeping east across New York and New The storms produced widespread wind I remember. But the storm gained momentum, and took the form of a squall line (a long line of continuous thunderstorms).Significant damage was seen from Rochester to Utica, with winds traveling between 77 and 115 mph.
For moments I was confused by the barrage of sensations - noise assaulted my ears; blinding flashes of light seemed everywhere; I was drenched.
England waking most from a sound sleep. The storm blew through Syracuse early in the morning of Monday, Sept. 7, with gusts of up to 115 mph. Weather Service called the storm a derecho, a squall line of thunderstorms loaded with damaging straight winds. Clouds rolled in over westbury in Nassau county, LI.
Whether it is the non-stop lighting and thunder at 2am, or the power outages throughout town, the Labor Day Derecho left its mark.A derecho, according to the NOAA’s National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, is a “widespread, long-lived windstorm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms.” Or, a deadly windstorm that packs the same punch as a tornado, with a longer lifeline.Arlene Schank (43), remembers vividly the way the lightning woke her that morning. "The tree!" The Labor Day Storm of 1998 1:30 in the morning, and something jolted me out of sound sleep. When the crash of thunder was punctuated by a horrendous cracking sound, I came fully awake. Today is a day of meteorological infamy and I am happy to have been able to have been a part of it. The storm, which left two people on the fairgrounds dead, caused so much damage that the last day was canceled. After a very quiet summer with no significant severe weather outbreaks following the Mechanicville-Stillwater tornado and widespread damaging wind event on Memorial day, widespread organized severe weather returned to New York and New England during the pre-dawn hours on Labor day. With no power throughout much of Central New York, many commercial businesses were unable to operate.