Survey of Niagara Falls Downburst

[WXBUFFJIM]

...METEOROLOGISTS SURVEY STORM DAMAGE...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES TOM NIZIOL AND MIKE PUKAJLO
SURVEYED DAMAGE IN SOUTHERN NIAGARA COUNTY EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS
A RESULT OF A VERY FAST MOVING LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

IN NORTH TONAWANDA, DAMAGE WAS INSPECTED ON PAYNE AVENUE AND SEVERAL
ADJOINING STREETS. THE DAMAGE TO TREES AND STRUCTURES WAS CONSISTENT
WITH STRAIGHT LINE DOWNBURST WINDS FROM THE BASE OF A FAST MOVING
THUNDERSTORM. BASED ON THE DAMAGE, WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 90
TO 100 MPH. AN OFFICIAL OBSERVED WIND MAXIMUM OF 86 MPH WAS RECORDED
AT NIAGARA FALLS AROUND 11 AM.

SEVERAL LARGE PINE TREES AND A FEW HARDWOODS IN EXCESS OF 30 FEET
TALL WERE TOPPLED IN NORTH TONAWANDA. A LARGE HARDWOOD FELL ONTO A
HOUSE ON FREDRICKA STREET AND SPLIT THE SECOND FLOOR ROOF IN HALF.

IN ADDITION TO THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED FROM STRAIGHT LINE
THUNDERSTORM WINDS, THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL REPORTS OF THREE QUARTER
INCH DIAMETER HAIL.