A system of severe thunderstorms moved through the Northeast U.S. on Thursday, producing damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and at least two possible tornado touchdowns across multiple states.
On Long Island, what officials believe may have been a tornado struck Atlantic Beach on the outer barrier, causing substantial destruction to beachfront structures. The Sun and Surf Beach Club and nearby Silver Point sustained significant damage, with debris including broken beach chairs and wood beams scattered along the shoreline. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency and reported no serious injuries or deaths, though search teams were deployed to check cabanas for trapped individuals. Meanwhile, flooding inundated portions of the Long Island Expressway in Queens, forcing closure of the roadway in both directions and leaving numerous vehicles stranded.
In New Jersey, Jersey City experienced severe flash flooding that trapped approximately 69 people in their vehicles. Emergency crews used small inflatable boats and waded through knee-high water on roadways to reach and rescue the stranded motorists.
Another likely tornado touched down in Dover, Delaware, producing widespread damage across the city with downed trees, fallen power lines, and flooded roads visible throughout affected areas. The Delaware Electric Cooperative reported more than 1,000 customers lost power in the northern portion of its service area, though the majority of outages were restored within hours. Local authorities reported no serious injuries from the Delaware storm. A meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New York indicated the system was moving offshore by evening and expected to weaken over the following hours.
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