An apparent waterspout off the South Shore of Long Island that may have become a tornado on land led to damage and destruction at a nearby beach club, as powerful storms slammed the area Thursday evening.
The tornadic waterspout was spotted off Atlantic Beach in Nassau County, just across the Reynolds Channel from Far Rockaway, Queens. It came about the same time a tornado warning had been issued for the area, from 6:45 p.m. until 7:15 p.m.
Video showed the waterspout just offshore, heading toward land.
The Inwood Fire Department was called about severe damage at the Sun and Surf Beach Club, according to the Nassau County fire marshal. Parts of the beach club were torn to shreds, with 30 cabanas damaged or destroyed as a result of the powerful winds, officials said.
There was one reported injury to a worker, who refused medical attention, the fire marshal said. No other injuries were reported.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency as a result of the damage caused by storms. Blakeman was scheduled to give an update on the damage from the wind and flooding at 8 a.m. Friday.
Based on video showing the waterspout and the confirmed damage at Atlantic Beach, it was likely that a tornado did hit the area Thursday night.
The National Weather Service would not confirm any tornadoes, but crews were being sent to Atlantic Beach and Rockaway Beach on Friday to assess the damage and issue a report, likely by the end of the day.
While it was not confirmed whether any tornadoes touched down as a result of the storms in Long Island or anywhere in the tri-state, there was a confirmed tornado in Dover, Delaware. The Dover Police Department announced the city was under a state of emergency and residents were urged to stay home.
The storms were triggered as a low pressure system slid through the region, bringing pockets of heavy rain that were strong enough to bring flash flooding for many in the New York City area. Streets flooded from East Meadow and Flushing, Queens, to Elizabeth and Bloomfield, New Jersey.
For some, more than a foot of water rushed into homes at the height of the storm, filling basements and first floors.
The New York City Office of Emergency Management issued a travel advisory for Thursday ahead of the storms, saying flash flooding and wind gusts up to 65 mph could be possible.
Any severe weather threat weakened after 9 p.m., as showers and storms continued moving east. Many roads impacted by flash flooding began to clear as well, though some were still dealing with elevated water levels.