New York State 47 



t h u 2< derst k m b 



Thunderstorms are more frequent in the Hudson Valley and 

 over Long Island than in other parts of the state, the average 

 number being about 20 to 30 annually. They are also frequent 

 along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, Buffalo reporting as many as 

 55 in a single year. They are less frequent in the northern part 

 and in the interior, the average number reported annually ranging 

 from 6 to 14. 



hail 



True hail is a product of thunderstorms, but, fortunately, rela- 

 tively few thunderstorms produce hail. Of the 20 to 30 thunder- 

 storms that occur annually in the Hudson Valley and over Long 

 Island, only about 3 or 4 cause an appreciable fall of hail. For 

 the remainder of the state hail probably occurs at most places on 

 an average of one or two times in the course of the year, but rarely 

 does it cause any widespread destruction. 



tornadoes 



Tornadoes are local whirlwinds of destructive violence, char- 

 acterized by a funnel-shaped cloud that hangs pendant from the 

 overhanging storm cloud. The path of destruction ranges in 

 width from a few feet to perhaps half a mile, and in length from 

 a few yards to several miles. They are most frequent over the 

 western states, but no part of the L^nited States east of the 105th 

 meridian may be regarded as secure from their visitation. 



According to Lieut. John P. Finley of the Signal Corps, U. S. 

 A., an authority on tornadoes, 103 such storms occurred in Xew 

 York in the 102 years, 1787 to 1888. The year of greatest fre- 

 quency was 1888, when no less than 25 tornadoes occurred in the 

 state. On July 11 of that year five separate and distinct tornadoes 

 occurred in St. Lawrence County, three in Franklin, and one in 

 Herkimer; while on May 28 of the same year, two occurred in 

 Steuben County, two in Allegany, one in Chemung, and one in 

 Oneida. 



In more recent years perhaps the most notable storm of this 

 character passed over Binghamton about 10:30 p. M., June 5, 

 1905. Its path was from 200 to 600 feet in width and something 



