Four Major Disaster Declarations Secured From President Biden
Snowstorms, Flooding, Tornadoes, Extreme Heat, Hurricanes, Wildfires, Drought and an Earthquake Played Prominent Roles in 2024 Emergency Response Activities
32 Tornadoes Top Previous Record of 25 Set in 1992
State Played Prominent Role Supporting Activities Surrounding More Than One Million Visitors for the Full Solar Eclipse
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York State responded to multiple severe weather-related emergencies and disasters throughout the past year. These included 32 tornadoes, five lake effect snow and winter weather events, eight days of extreme heat, an earthquake, flooding throughout the state caused by the remnants of Hurricane Beryl and Tropical Storm Debby, another August flooding event in Suffolk County, a drought and fall wildfires that burned in the eastern part of the New York for several weeks. The State received four major disaster declarations from President Biden related to these weather incidents. In addition, the State managed the response surrounding a full solar eclipse that brought unprecedented numbers of visitors to New York and provided support to the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
“Whether it’s wildfires, blizzards or anything in between, my Administration will always mobilize the full force of our emergency response capabilities to keep New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to constant training, advancements in scaling and accelerating our resources, and the selfless commitment of our first responders, we stand ready for whatever Mother Nature throws our way.”
Starting on January 13, significant snowstorms lasting several days brought multiple feet of lake effect snow to parts of Western New York and the North Country. Before the storm, Governor Hochul activated the State’s Emergency Operations Center in Albany and mobilized 100 soldiers and airmen with 25 vehicles from the New York National Guard to provide general support to Western New York.
From March 22-23, a winter storm brought snow and ice to the Capital Region, producing ice accumulations up to three-quarters of an inch across the Capital Region and snowfall totals of two or more feet in Washington and Saratoga counties.
On April 5, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake occurred in New Jersey, followed by more than two dozen aftershocks that prompted State agencies to conduct inspections of infrastructure to ensure public safety. These included the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Service, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York Power Authority.
The first heatwave of the year occurred between June 18-21 with the highest, “feels-like” temperature of 110ºF recorded at the Essex New York State Mesonet site. The hottest days occurred between July 15-17 with temperatures peaking statewide on July 16. In response, State agencies including the Department of Health, Office of Children and Family Services, Department of Agriculture and Markets and other agencies conducted activities to ensure the health and safety of New Yorkers.
New York State also experienced a record number of 32 confirmed tornadoes in 2024, which touched down in locations across the State from Eden to Rome to Long Island, topping the previous record of 25 in 1992. In July alone, there were 23 which was the most confirmed tornadoes in one month for New York State.
Serious flooding affected several regions across the State due to localized storms and the remnants of hurricanes and tropical storms, including Hurricane Beryl on July 10, Tropical Storm Debby on August 9 and storms causing record rainfall and widespread flooding in Suffolk County from August 18-19. Each of these storms resulted in a Major Disaster Declaration, including two for Tropical Storm Debby. This was due to the work of several State agencies who engaged with local governments to recover from the storms, including the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the Department of Transportation, New York State Police, Thruway Authority and the National Guard.
New York State experienced statewide drought conditions in 2024 due to a historic lack of precipitation. Central Park and LaGuardia Airport all recorded their driest Octobers on record, and Islip Airport recorded its driest September and October ever. On Nov. 18, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a statewide drought watch and a drought warning was declared for 15 Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island counties for the first time since 2016 due to a significant shortage of rainfall and declining levels of streamflow and groundwater. During this year’s drought, New York State agencies aided several municipalities experiencing water shortages. As of Jan. 3, 2025, all counties returned to statewide drought status to normal. Information about drought conditions are available on DEC’s website.
In the fall, New York State helped battle wildfires that raged in Orange and Ulster counties and across the New Jersey State line. The NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control coordinated the response and worked with 427 fire departments statewide who sent 1,325 firefighters, nearly all of them volunteers, to help extinguish the blaze. More than 30 DEC Forest Rangers, wildland firefighters and other support personnel and firefighters from Montana and Colorado also assisted in fighting the fires.
Finally, in late November and early December, Western New York and the North Country regions experienced lake effect snow events that resulted in multiple feet of snow.
In response to these weather events, working with our federal partners, Governor Hochul secured four major disaster declarations for severe storms and flooding events, and nine U.S. Small Business Administration declarations offering low-interest loans to impacted communities. In November, Governor Hochul secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant Declaration from FEMA to provide federal funding that would cover some costs associated with efforts to combat wildfires.
In addition to weather events, the State planned and orchestrated multiagency event and public safety operations for the total solar eclipse on April 8, that included an influx of nearly one million visitors to primary viewing locations including Niagara Falls and the North Country. Governor Hochul convened an Interagency Task Force comprised of nearly two dozen State agencies and authorities who collaborated for 18 months to prepare for the event, ensuring everyone could safely enjoy the eclipse.
More than 200 emergency management staff members from numerous State agencies responded to help our neighbors in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in October and November. Team members included staff from the National Guard, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Police, Thruway Authority, Agriculture and Markets, Office of Information Technology Services, New York City and Ulster and Montgomery counties.
State Agency Response
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services: New York State's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) demonstrated its comprehensive response capabilities throughout 2024, coordinating 16 State Emergency Operations Center activations and managing numerous field deployments with local partners. The NYS Incident Management Team conducted seven deployments throughout 2024 and OEM coordinated 14 interstate mutual aid missions, demonstrating New York's ability to manage both local emergencies and support multi-state operations.
New York State Department of Public Service
In addition to the approximately 5,500 utility workers typically available statewide to engage in damage assessment, response, repair and restoration efforts across New York State, as necessary, New York utilities brought in more than 35,000 contract workers to assist with the roughly 2.7 million electrical outages that occurred during storm events in 2024. Agency staff tracked utilities' work throughout the events and ensured utilities shifted appropriate staffing to regions that experienced the greatest impact.
New York State Department of Transportation
DOT was out in force responding to emergency situations throughout 2024, including eight severe lake-effect snowstorms with two that coincided with Buffalo Bills home games in January and November; and a long-duration spring storm that spread snow, heavy rain and flooding across various parts of the State. The Department also inspected and ensured the State’s critical infrastructure was safe after earthquakes rattled the region in April and June; and provided statewide logistics, traffic and emergency preparedness support during the Total Solar Eclipse in April; cleanup efforts in the wake of a devastating tornado in Rome; and emergency repairs on the State highway system in the North Country, the Southern Tier, Western New York and the Finger Lakes Region following heavy rains caused by Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene. In addition, the Department assisted other agencies with responses to wildfires in the Catskills and downed trees on the Narrow Islands of Lake George.
New York State Thruway Authority
From heavy snow and rain to a once in a lifetime total solar eclipse, the Thruway Authority has consistently responded throughout the year swiftly and efficiently ensuring the safety of the hundreds of millions of drivers that rely on the Thruway system each year. Thruway crews work around the clock to maintain the Thruway by delivering on the safety and reliability that its customers have come to expect and are always ready at a moment's notice to deliver on that mission. Through it all, the Thruway Authority’s top priority is the safety of our employees and customers.
New York State Police
State Police members provided law enforcement and search and rescue resources to significant events throughout New York and the southeastern United States during 2024. The major snow events of January 13 and 14 in Western New York and March 22 and 23 in the Capital region, and the most recent fall and winter lake effect storms. The April 8 total eclipse required statewide traffic management and law enforcement response with State Police providing resources for both. Serious flooding events in July and August caused by tropical storms required resources including specialized swift water teams to rescue residents trapped by flooding. State Police Emergency management and swift water rescue resources responded to North Carolina to assist residents affected by severe flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Patrol personnel and Aviation assets, including Unmanned Aerial Systems, were deployed for the entirety of the wildfire outbreaks during October and November.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Throughout 2024, DEC responded to countless emergency incidents, issued expedited environmental authorizations after storms, and in conjunction with the State Department of Health, kept New Yorkers informed when air quality concerns arose. DEC’s Emergency Management Unit and other agency emergency responders joined 32 multi-agency incidents including lake effect snow storms, the solar eclipse, tornadoes in Rome, unprecedented rainfall on Long Island and multiple requests from North Carolina for Hurricane Helene. In October and November alone, DEC staff responded to 46 wildland fires including the 5,304-acre Jennings Creek wildfire in Orange County. DEC also responded to 10,450 spills of petroleum and other hazardous materials calls across the State. During severe weather events that could immediately threaten life, health, property or natural resources, DEC issues emergency authorizations to ensure a prompt response to the emergency in question. In 2024, DEC issued 182 Emergency Authorizations to help communities rebuild, mostly due to storm-related emergencies. DEC, in conjunction with DOH, issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter (PM2.5), are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. In 2024, DEC issued 25 Air Quality Health Advisories - 22 for ozone. Three advisories were issued for particulate matter as a result of wildfire smoke. New York State also released the Extreme Heat Action Plan to help plan for and address the dangers and impacts of extreme heat on New Yorkers, particularly those in disadvantaged communities who are most likely to experience extreme heat’s harmful health effects.
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
OPRHP staff were fully engaged to safely welcome unprecedented visitation to the State park system in April for the total solar eclipse. Nearly one million visitors gathered from April 6-9 at New York State Parks to witness the eclipse, an increase in attendance of more than 45 percent compared to the same days in 2023. On April 8 alone, New York State Parks welcomed more than 326,500 visitors, a 52 percent jump in attendance compared to the year before – and 12 State parks reached full capacity. In November, Park Police, emergency management staff and operations crews responded to Orange County for the Jennings Creek wildfire in Sterling Forest State Park. The fire burned a total of 5,304 acres in New York and New Jersey – including 3,021 in New York. Dariel Vasquez, an OPRHPemployee, was fatally injured while supporting the work to create a fire line. Throughout the year, OPRHP arranged for a total of 65 standby sawyer crews to be prepared to assist with storm cleanup for 12 separate storm events.
New York State Department of Health
With climate change comes extreme weather and the State Health Department is concerned about the impacts on public health, particularly vulnerable populations. During extreme heat periods, the State Health Department took a number of steps to promote the safety of all New Yorkers and especially those most at risk. The Department distributed guidance to all hospitals and nursing homes as well as to hosts of public events with more than 5,000 people in attendance. The Department engaged community-based organizations and other funded providers to increase access to cooling centers and safe spaces during the extreme heat. The Department also checks with health care facilities during and after snowstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods to ensure they have access to staffing and supplies. Hurricane Helene crippled a North Carolina based major manufacturer and supplier of intravenous solutions for hospitals and dialysis fluids, impacting these medical supplies across the country. The Department worked with health care facilities across the State to monitor availability of these lifesaving and life-preserving solutions to limit the impacts of shortages.
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
Provided critical information, including preventative measures, to help mitigate the effects of extreme heat on farm workers and farm animals, which is available
here. The Department also worked closely with partners at The New York Extension Disaster Education Network (NY EDEN) at Cornell University to monitor any potential impacts and response to the extreme heat and co-hosted an informational webinar on extreme heat for the agricultural community alongside the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health.
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
The agency took a number of actions to ensure activities at residential centers, detention programs and congregate care programs were conducted in a safe manner during the heat. Actions included checking cooling equipment, ensuring proper amounts of water were available and consumed, rescheduling activities and meetings and identifying staff and clients with a higher risk of being affected by heat. The agency also provided guidance to child care programs and groups associated with the Commission for the Blind statewide.
New York State Office for the Aging
NYSOFA and Area Agencies on Aging provide important information, outreach and assistance to older adults in advance of winter storms, extreme heat events, or other emergencies. As part of its outreach efforts, the aging network has partnered with a community engagement platform, Blooming Health, to enhance connections with thousands of older adults and caregivers, including emergency notifications and resource information that is delivered in multiple languages through text message, voice calls or email.
