A line of severe thunderstorms moving through western and central New York and north-central Pennsylvania has triggered a rolling series of Tornado Warnings, a region-wide Tornado Watch, and numerous Severe Thunderstorm Warnings on the evening of Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The National Weather Service offices in Buffalo, Binghamton, and State College have issued multiple radar-indicated tornado warnings since roughly 7:30 PM EDT, with damaging winds up to 70 mph and hail up to golf-ball size reported. As storms track eastward, warnings are expiring in one county and being issued in the next — this article was last updated around 8:45 PM EDT.
Update: the earlier tornado warnings for Livingston/Allegany County, NY and Centre/Clinton County, PA (first reported ~8:12–8:16 PM EDT) have expired or been replaced as the storm line moved east. New tornado warnings are now in effect for Cayuga/Onondaga County, NY and Cayuga/Seneca County, NY. Check the NWS Active Alerts page for the latest status in your area.
Tornado Warnings Currently in Effect
Cayuga & Onondaga County, NY — NEW
Issued by NWS Binghamton at 8:41 PM EDT, in effect until 9:15 PM EDT. Radar-indicated rotation in a storm cluster capable of both tornadoes and extensive straight-line wind damage, located over Union Springs near Auburn, moving east at 40 mph. Path includes Auburn, Fleming, and Melrose Park (~8:45 PM), Owasco (~8:50 PM), Skaneateles and Niles (~8:55 PM), and Otisco (~9:10 PM).
Cayuga & Seneca County, NY
Issued by NWS Binghamton, in effect until 9:00 PM EDT. Radar-indicated rotation in a storm over Seneca Falls, moving east at 30 mph, with quarter-size hail. Path includes Seneca Falls, Cayuga, and Lehigh Valley Junction (~8:35 PM), Union Springs and Canoga (~8:40 PM).
Northeastern Tioga County, PA
Issued by NWS State College, in effect until 9:15 PM EDT. Radar-indicated rotation 7 miles west of Millerton (12 miles north of Mansfield), moving east at 20 mph, with quarter-size hail. Millerton itself will be in the path around 9:00 PM; also affects Tioga Junction and Roseville.
Centre & Clinton County, PA
Issued by NWS State College, in effect until 8:45 PM EDT (about to expire). Storm over Monument moving east at 25 mph, with quarter-size hail. Path includes Blanchard, Bald Eagle State Park, and Monument (~8:40 PM), plus Orviston, Howard, and Beech Creek; Interstate 80 between mile markers 167 and 170.
Tornado Watch 645: Wide Area Until 11 PM EDT
NWS Buffalo and NWS Binghamton have Tornado Watch 645 in effect until 11:00 PM EDT for a broad swath of New York, plus Bradford County, PA — unchanged since it was issued earlier this evening. The watch covers cities including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Binghamton, Ithaca, Elmira, and Watertown, among others.
- Western NY: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne, Wyoming
- Central NY: Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Yates
- Pennsylvania: Bradford County (including Sayre and Towanda)
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings
At least six severe thunderstorm warnings are active as of 8:45 PM EDT, several flagged for possible tornado development in addition to damaging straight-line winds and large hail:
- Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Onondaga, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins & Yates, NY — until 9:30 PM EDT, 70 mph gusts and quarter-size hail; NWS Binghamton called this an “EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION” producing widespread wind damage.
- Allegany, Cattaraugus & Livingston, NY — until 9:15 PM EDT, 70 mph gusts and quarter-size hail; line extending from Cohocton to near Frewsburg.
- Clinton & Lycoming, PA — until 9:30 PM EDT, 60 mph gusts and quarter-size hail near Lock Haven and Williamsport.
- Venango, PA — until 9:30 PM EDT, 60 mph gusts and small hail near Sugarcreek and Franklin.
- Cayuga, Seneca, Steuben & Yates, NY — until 9:00 PM EDT, 70 mph gusts and quarter-size hail, near Canandaigua to Frewsburg.
- Clinton, Lycoming, Potter & Tioga, PA — until 9:00 PM EDT, 60 mph gusts and small hail near Cross Fork; possible tornado development noted.
What People Are Saying on X
“🚨 Tornado Warning issued September 2 at 8:41PM EDT until September 2 at 9:15PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY 🚨 Area: Cayuga, NY; Onondaga, NY. Issued: 9/2 8:41 PM EDT (1 min ago). Expires: 9/2 9:15 PM EDT (in 33 min). Motion: 258° at 36 kt. Hail: Up to .75 inches”
— @TheTornadoPath (Tornado Tracker by TornadoPath), 2:42 AM UTC, Sep 3, 2026
“Tornado Warning for Cayuga and Onondaga County in NY until 9:15pm EDT.”
— @SevereStudios, 2:41 AM UTC, Sep 3, 2026
“#LocalSYR Tornado Warning for Cayuga and Onondaga County until 9:15pm.”
— @NewsChannel9 (Syracuse Weather, covering Syracuse, Ithaca, Rome, Oswego), moments ago
Safety Reminders
- If a Tornado Warning is issued for your location, take cover immediately in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
- If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.
- Tornadoes at night are especially dangerous because they are difficult to see — don’t wait to see one before taking cover.
- Avoid driving through flooded roadways; torrential rainfall with these storms can cause flash flooding.
- Stay tuned to local media and NOAA Weather Radio, and monitor weather.gov/alerts for the latest warnings in your area.
This is a developing situation and this article will continue to change as storms move east. It reflects National Weather Service bulletins current as of approximately 8:45 PM EDT on September 2, 2026; check the NWS Active Alerts page for real-time updates.
