20 years ago, Labor Day Storm killed 3, left severe damage, became burned in CNY’s memory
In a region known more for its relentless snowstorms every winter, there is at least one summer thunderstorm that many residents in central New York don’t easily, or ever, forget.
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the Labor Day Storm — the weather event that jolted many awake in the early morning hours of Sept. 7, 1998 with a show of force not often seen around here before, or since.
The powerful storm — which produced hurricane-force wind gusts up to 115 mph, heavy rains and hail and up to 100 lightning strikes per minute — killed three people, two of them at the New York State Fair, which had its final day canceled due to the amount of damage at the grounds in Geddes.
The storm forced over 200 people into shelters, damaged 2,000 buildings, toppled tens of thousands of trees and power lines, knocked out power for a quarter of a million people and caused an estimated combined $60 million in damage in Onondaga and Cayuga counties.
See full story and pictures here. Labor Day 1998