Tornado outbreak of May 14, 2019

the Tornado outbreak of May 14, 2019 was a significant tornado outbreak which struck upstate New York, southern Vermont, Massachusetts and other portions of New England during the afternoon hours of May 14, 2019.

Meteorological history
On May 11, 2019, a strong storm system moved into the Midwestern United States, producing major severe thunderstorms (including a derecho event) across Iowa, Illinois and Indiana on May 12. The system moved northeast producing more significant severe weather on May 13, mainly in southeastern lower Michigan, northeastern Indiana, northern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York. The SPC issued a Day 2 Enhanced Risk of Severe Thunderstorms at 1730Z for portions of New England, concerning the possibility of a few strong tornadoes in upstate New York, but primarily large hail. Early on the morning of May 14, soundings across upstate New York showed conditions favorable for a major tornado outbreak, dew points in the low 80s were forecast across upstate New York, which would produce a high risk of severe thunderstorms if temperatures were going in that field as well, however...temperatures were only forecast to reach the low 60s across upstate New York and the high 50s across the rest of the soon to be Moderate Risk of Severe Thunderstorms, The Storm Prediction Center issued a small Moderate Risk for upstate New York in the 1300Z outlook, regarding the possibility for late morning and early afternoon supercells across upstate New York that could produce strong yet brief tornadoes.

Storms would develop during the mid morning hours, producing large hail across upstate New York. The first tornado would touch down at around 11:31AM local time, and would be a EF1 tornado, causing light damage.

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings went out through the morning, with the first tornado warning going out at 11:44AM, 13 minutes after the first tornado touched down. The Storm Prediction Center put out a PDS Tornado Watch for upstate New York and southern Vermont shortly later at 11:53AM. The first strong tornado of the day touched down at 12:01PM, near Spring Cove, New York, as a small rope tornado. It rapidly intensified into a EF3 cone tornado as it struck Madawaska, New York. It then struck Paul Smiths as a high-end EF2 before it began rapidly weakening. The tornado then struck Harrietstown, New York as a low-end EF1, causing minimal damage. It finally lifted just southeast of Harrietstown at 12:26PM. The storms began to rapidly intensify as they moved southeast, with another strong tornado touching down at 12:58PM near West Canada Lake Wilderness, rapidly intensifying into a very high-end EF3 or low-end EF4 as it struck Speculator, New York, causing a tornado emergency for southeastern Hamilton County, New York. The first tornado in Vermont of the day touched down at 1:04PM near Paper Mill Village, Vermont. It struck Bennington as a EF1 tornado.

Warrensburg-Fort Edward, New York tornadoes
See page regarding the Queensbury-Fort Edward tornado: 2019 Queensbury-Fort Edward, New York tornado

A intense supercell rapidly developed in central Warren County, New York at around 1:16PM, and produced a high-end EF4 tornado that struck Warrensburg and Lake George. Several trees were uprooted and manholes were removed from the ground, suggesting low-end EF5 intensity, cars were also thrown around as if they were toys. Several houses in Lake George (town) were removed from their foundations, also suggesting EF5 intensity. Another intense supercell developed near Queensbury, and produced a massive wedge tornado at 1:22PM, scattering foundations in Queensbury, uprooting trees in Glens Falls, South Glens Falls and Fort Edward. Houses were completely destroyed in Fort Edward, with all 122 deaths of the outbreak occurring in Queensbury and Fort Edward. The tornado received a final rating of high-end EF5, with damage reportedly being comparable to the 1999 Moore or 1997 Jarrell tornado, and damage like that shouldn't have even be possible in the northeast, especially in that environment. The two violent storms would weaken as they crossed the Vermont state line...this is a wip.