Western and Central New York aren't Tornado Alley, but they have felt that way in July

Dear D&C Subscribers --

The movie "Twisters" opened to a healthy box office this weekend, following in the tradition of its predecessor "Twister" that was in theaters 28 years ago.

Neither movie was set in upstate New York, but given the violent storms our region has seen this month, one might be forgiven for imagining a future such movie telling a story rooted in Western or Central New York.It used to be that wintry weather kept Democrat and Chronicle journalists the busiest, but this year, it's been summer storms that have proved alarming. That's been especially true in Canandaigua recently.Writes D&C News of Now reporter Victoria E. Freile in this story last week tallying up the number of twisters:

New York's tornado count for July has set a new record, with 16 confirmed tornados touching down across the Empire State. The previous record - set in 1992 - was 13 tornados in the month of July, according to National Weather Service data.

David Thomas, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Buffalo, said that the number could still rise as survey teams are still evaluating damage that occurred this past week. Plus, he said, July is not yet over.

Of the confirmed tornados this month, the strongest twister was an EF-2 tornado that ravaged Rome, Oneida County, on Tuesday. That storm was one of six confirmed tornados in New York on Tuesday.

Our colleagues at the Utica Observer-Dispatch covered the extent of damage in Rome, a city and place whose importance in United States history dates back at least to the Revolutionary War. Two church steeples were toppled, amid other considerable damage. Nearby Canastota also saw a tornado.Our journalists also seek to put impactful news events into context:

• Weather and climate reporter Steve Howe detailed what the extent of tornadoes this year -- one of the more active ones nationwide -- is telling us.
• Consumer advocate reporter Emily Barnes explained how helpful homeowners insurance is or is not to property owners who experience damage from tornadoes.

Needless to say, online audience for this coverage was enormous, reinforcing how it is our continuing mission to serve well you, our subscribers, on stories of vital interest to you. Thank you for reading.

Each week, usually on Sunday evenings, we'll email you highlights of our reporting and videography created exclusively for our subscribers. And we'll share with you some "behind-the-scenes" tidbits on how such journalism comes to be.Below are some other stories written only for our subscribers you may have missed this month.Thank you for your continuing support of local news in Rochester. We’re greatly appreciative.

Sincerely,