Severe thunderstorms swept across New York and the wider Northeast on Thursday evening, bringing torrential rain, flash flooding and destructive winds, while authorities investigated a possible tornado that caused significant damage in Atlantic Beach on Long Island.
The most serious damage was reported at the Sun and Surf Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, where powerful winds damaged or destroyed around 30 cabanas. Witnesses described furniture and debris being thrown through the air as the storm moved across the beachfront. One worker suffered a minor injury but declined medical treatment, while no deaths or serious injuries were reported.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency and activated the county’s Emergency Operations Center. Search crews were deployed to damaged beach clubs to ensure that nobody was trapped, while emergency responders assisted motorists stranded by flooding along Long Island’s South Shore.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said it was reviewing radar data, damage reports and other evidence involving two waterspouts that may have moved ashore in the eastern Rockaways and Atlantic Beach. An official survey is required to determine whether the Atlantic Beach event should formally be classified as a tornado.
The storm also caused major transportation problems in New York City. Flooding forced the temporary closure of sections of the Long Island Expressway in Queens, while heavy rainfall disrupted several subway lines as crews worked to remove water from tracks.
The severe weather extended beyond New York. In Jersey City, New Jersey, emergency crews rescued dozens of people trapped in vehicles during flash flooding, while damaging storms also struck Delaware.
Authorities continued assessing damage Friday as conditions improved across much of the New York metropolitan area. The National Weather Service’s investigation is expected to provide further details on the suspected tornado and the path of the storm.
