EF-1 Tornado Touches Down Near Buffalo With 100+ MPH Winds

Rare Tornado Touches Down in Western NY

The first confirmed tornado of 2026 in New York State has officially been recorded—and it happened in Western New York.

According to the National Weather Service in Buffalo, an EF-1 tornado touched down on Tuesday, March 31st, packing peak winds of 107 miles per hour.

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Tornado Touched Down for 3 Minutes

According to reports, the tornado remained on the ground for about three minutes before dissipating. While damage assessments are still ongoing, officials say there have been no reports of serious injuries.
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While tornadoes in New York are still considered relatively rare, the number of tornadoes has clearly been trending upward over time. Back in the 1950s, the state averaged just over one tornado per year.

Check out the video posted by Buffalo Weather, recorded in Western New York on Tuesday.

Tornado Frequency in New York State

That number steadily increased through the decades, and since 1990, New York has averaged more than 16 tornadoes annually.

Historically, New York is near the bottom nationwide for tornado frequency.  Sources say we ranked 37th out of 50 states between 1962 and 1991.

Most storms here are on the weaker side, like this EF-1. Still, with winds topping 100 mph, they can cause real damage.

The takeaway? Tornadoes may not be common in New York—but they’re no longer as rare as they once were, especially as we head deeper into spring storm season.