The threat was fast-escalating on Thursday evening. In addition to the warning for parts of Queens and Nassau County and the flooding across multiple boroughs, there were snarls on the main expressways. One could see the intensity of the storms in video from Long Island of a waterspout near Atlantic Beach.
Tornado alert for Queens and Nassau
Until 7:15 p.m. EDT on Thursday, the National Weather Service had a tornado warning in place for sections of both Queens and Nassau counties. Those in its path were told by officials to make for shelter without delay.
New York City Emergency Management put out some basic advice for residents to act on during the warning:
– Make your way to the lowest floor and get inside at once
– Put distance between yourself and any interior glass or windows
– Have your phones charged and essential supplies at hand
Flooding disrupts travel across New York City
Several neighbourhoods saw flooding as the storms made their way through. Social media was abuzz with a clip of rainwater inundating a Penn Station subway platform. Heavy downpours were also noted in Chelsea and Manhattan, as well as around the Clearview Expressway in Bayside, Queens.
Then there were the road closures to contend with. The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was shut down at Queens Boulevard in either direction, as was the Long Island Expressway at Francis Lewis Boulevard. Drivers were left to find an alternate way.
Flash flood warning spans New York and New Jersey
Parts of New York and New Jersey were under a separate Flash Flood Warning until 7:45 p.m. EDT Thursday. The NWS said this encompassed such boroughs as Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island, along with Southern Bergen, Eastern Passaic and Northeastern Union in New Jersey.
Doppler radar at 5:39 p.m. EDT showed thunderstorms churning up heavy rain in the warned zone. Some one to 1.5 inches had already come down and rates of 1.5 inches an hour were possible. With another inch or two likely, flash flooding was either happening or about to start.
Long Island reports waterspout and damage
Online footage would seem to show a waterspout offshore of Atlantic Beach on Long Island as the storm cell with the tornado warning came through. The NWS had already instructed Nassau County to take cover.
There are reports of what looks like storm damage at the Sun and Surf Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, and images to back it up. Officials want residents to be wary of debris and downed lines.
What comes next
For the rest of the evening, authorities are asking that people keep an eye on the weather and steer clear of flooded spots. While the storms run their course, the priority is to be safe and avoid hazards.
Those dealing with outages or flooding will find some further reminders from the NWS and NYC Emergency Management:
– Steer clear of any power lines that are down or hanging
– Generators are not to be used indoors
– Leave the doors on your refrigerator and freezer shut
– Should you require assistance with Life Sustaining Equipment, call 9-1-1
– www.weather.gov/nyc for the latest
It is a reminder of how summer storms can turn for the worse in short order. Given the rising rainfall and the effect on travel, the message from officials is to follow the alerts and wait for the all clear before venturing out.
