Tornadoes confirmed to have downed trees, damaged buildings in CT and NY
The National Weather Service has confirmed that tornadoes touched down in southern Connecticut and in New York City’s northern suburbs during Thursday’s storms, uprooting trees and knocking out power to thousands of residents.
The first tornado was determined to be a strong EF1 tornado, with maximum wind speeds of 110 miles per hour.
It reportedly touched down in a forested area in Bethany, Connecticut, before moving further southeast toward Lake Bethany, creating a path of damage that eventually widened to around 300 yards, causing significant roof damage to several homes and snapping trees.
A second tornado touched down in the village of Montgomery in Orange County, roughly 80 miles north of New York City. It was also determined to be an EF1 tornado, with maximum wind speeds of 90 miles per hour.
Officials say the tornado touched down on the northwest side of the Orange County Airport near the Wallkill River. It then moved east, damaging trees and causing minor structural damage to two buildings at the airport.
The storms came three weeks after Tropical Storm Isaias caused widespread damage and power outages. Government officials and customers have blasted utilities for taking over a week to restore those outages, and state regulators are now investigating.
With the Associated Press.