New York Ski Area Severely Damaged By Tornado

Ian Greenwood
·2 min read

Yesterday evening on Monday, August 7th, a suspected tornado struck Snow Ridge Ski Resort, New York, damaging several pieces of crucial resort infrastructure, including chairlifts and other buildings.

From Snow Ridge's Facebook announcement:

"The Ridge got hit pretty hard by last evenings tornado. Everyone is safe, which is the most important thing but this damage really hurts. All three chair lift lines were struck by multiple trees, our Pisten Bully 200 has a tree through the cab, and some of the biggest damage was done to Little Mtn buildings and chairlift, including our yurt, which is no longer there. We are devastated but will rebuild. Hoping everyone in our little community stayed safe and is ok today. We appreciate the outpouring of support more than you know!"

While faced with significant infrastructure losses, Snow Ridge stated that no one was injured during yesterday's storm.

The suspected tornado touched down during a period of intense rainfall and storming that struck upstate New York last night. Syracuse, New York, an hour and a half drive from Snow Ridge, received a record-breaking 2.45 inches of rainfall Monday. The previous daily record for August 7th of 1.69 inches was set in 1976.

Widespread flooding also occurred, and New York's Route 690 closed temporarily -- Syracuse.com reports that the route is slowly reopening in portions as of Tuesday, August 8th.

In addition to the suspected tornado that struck Snow Ridge, several other possible tornado sightings were reported last night throughout Upstate New York. National Weather Service crews are currently working to determine if statewide infrastructure damage was caused by tornadoes or high winds.

The weather system that impacted New York appeared further south, too, affecting other states throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Snow Ridge Ski Area Stats/Info:

Vertical: 500 ft.

Skiable Terrain: 45 ac.

Average Snowfall: 230 in.

Lifts: 5

Trails: 31

Snowmaking: YES

Night Skiing: YES

Mega-Pass: Indy Pass

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