NWS Confirms Five Tornadoes Across Western New York After Wednesday's Severe Storms

Wednesday's supercell didn't announce itself. It moved into western New York shortly after 6:30 p.m. and by the time NWS damage survey teams completed their work, the count stood at five confirmed tornadoes across four counties — from Olcott on Lake Ontario to the farmland near Seneca Falls.

Five Tornadoes Confirmed From Niagara to Seneca County

Five Tornadoes Confirmed From Niagara to Seneca County

The storm tracked eastward from just south of Medina, touching down in Orleans and Genesee counties, while NWS surveys confirmed tornadoes in Niagara County and two more in Seneca County. WXXI News reports the five western New York tornadoes confirmed in September 2026 ranged from EF-1s in Olcott and East Shelby — each reaching 105 mph — to the high-end EF-1 in Alexander, Genesee County, which hit 110 mph. The Alexander tornado left a dense cluster of large locust tree trunks snapped in a convergent pattern, the kind of damage signature that lets NWS surveyors close the book on a tornado confirmation. The storms also brought large hail, flooded roads, and downed power lines across the region.

Seneca County's Two Tornadoes — the Strongest of the Outbreak

Seneca County's Two Tornadoes — the Strongest of the Outbreak

The most powerful of Wednesday's tornadoes stayed over open ground east of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal corridor. The EF2 near Fayette started about a mile south of Rose Hill west of Route 96A, tracked approximately 7 miles at maximum winds of 115 mph, and lifted nearly 2 miles south of Canoga Springs. A second Seneca County tornado — EF-1 — began a few miles west-northwest of Waterloo, moved through the village, and ended in Seneca Falls, knocking out power and downing trees across both communities.

Waterloo and Seneca Falls Neighbors Come Together for Cleanup

Waterloo and Seneca Falls Neighbors Come Together for Cleanup

Waterloo Central School District closed Thursday as cleanup crews started working through the debris. The Seneca County Sheriff's Office lifted its travel advisory but urged caution on roads still covered with downed trees and branches. Seneca Falls Police Chief Tim Snyder told reporters Thursday that the CAD dispatch board had never looked like that — officers spent the night responding to residents stranded in ditches and drivers who had collided with fallen trees in the dark.

By morning, the emergency calls had slowed and the chainsaws had started. In Seneca Falls, residents organized to help each other clear trees and check on neighbors.

Power Restoration on Track — What NYSEG and RG&E Are Promising

Power Restoration on Track — What NYSEG and RG&E Are Promising

RG&E reported nearly 40,000 customers had service interruptions since Wednesday, with about 1,300 still out across Monroe, Orleans, Allegany, Livingston, and Wyoming counties as of Thursday at 8:20 p.m. NYSEG restored power to over 46,000 customers by Thursday evening; approximately 4,300 customers in the Geneva area — Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, and Yates counties — remained without power. Both utilities committed to full restoration by 11 p.m. Friday.

NYSEG will distribute free dry ice and bottled water at the Waterloo Fire Department on Friday for affected households.