An upper level disturbance sparked strong to severe thunderstorms, mainly in the Capital District, during the afternoon hours of Friday, August 16th, 2019. These storms resulted in multiple reports of trees and wires down across Albany and Renssselaer counties, with over 12,000 homes and businesses without power. There was also three confirmed microbursts in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany, Menands, and North Greenbush.

Hail in RENSSELAER, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:24:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:24:00 (EST-5)
Location: TROY RENSSELAER ARPT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 16:54:00 to 16-AUG-19 16:54:00 (EST-5)
Location: KARLSFELD
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: Public

A tree with numerous limbs and branches was downed on Hartman Road in Albany.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 16:56:00 to 16-AUG-19 16:56:00 (EST-5)
Location: ELSMERE
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: NWS Employee

Large tree limbs were downed onto wires on New Scotland Ave.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:01:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:01:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBANY
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: NWS Employee

Large tree branches downed on Myrtle Ave.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:05:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:05:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBANY
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: Broadcast Media

A power transformer blew which knocked power lines down. The power lines caught on fire on the ground and burned the WTEN studio sign.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:08:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:08:00 (EST-5)
Location: MENANDS
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: NWS Employee

A tree was downed, blocking N. Pearl St and Lindbergh Ave.

Thunderstorm Wind in RENSSELAER, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:10:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: DEFREESTVILLE
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: Department of Highways

Route 4 north and south bound was closed due to a downed tree.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: MENANDS
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: Social Media

A large tree was uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind in RENSSELAER, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBIA
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Reported by: NWS Employee

Multiple trees were snapped and uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind in RENSSELAER, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBIA
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: Public

Wires were downed with a window blown out at at Cottage Street Apartments in Troy.

Thunderstorm Wind in RENSSELAER, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBIA
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: Public

A large tree was downed blocking two lanes of traffic on Route 378.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:01:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:01:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBANY
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Reported by: NWS Employee

A very large tree branch was broken off and hanging from a tree. Time estimated by radar.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 16:54:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBANY
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A National Weather Service storm survey team confirmed microbursts along the path of an intense thunderstorm that cross from Albany, NY to North Greenbush, NY. The team identified three areas in New York where microbursts occurred; the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany, Menands and North Greenbush. The team observed several trees and large limbs down in the microburst areas. Some of these trees fell on homes and cars.
The microburst areas define the location of intense damage. For the most part, the microburst locations were within 1 mile by 0.5 mile rectangle. The wind speeds were derived from the degree of damage seen.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:00:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBANY
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Reported by: NWS Employee

Multiple trees and wires down. Some trees fell onto cars and homes.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:02:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:02:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBANY
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Reported by: Public

Large tree was uprooted and crushed a car.

Thunderstorm Wind in RENSSELAER, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: DEFREESTVILLE
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

About a 1 mile stretch of damage from Stonegate apartments through the Winter Street extension, including many trees snapped and uprooted, wires downed, and plastic roofs blown off greenhouses at Yonder Farms.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 16:56:00 to 16-AUG-19 16:56:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALBANY
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Reported by: Social Media

Trees were snapped with damage to multiple houses and cars.

Thunderstorm Wind in ALBANY, NEW YORK
From 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 to 16-AUG-19 17:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: MENANDS
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Many trees snapped in half and were sheared off at the top. There was also additional trees uprooted, powerlines down, and some street signs bent in half and pulled out of the ground.