Heavy rain and strong winds battered the Northeast U.S. on Thursday, leaving significant damage in their wake. The storms ravaged Atlantic Beach on Long Island, flooded parts of a major New York freeway, and caused power outages in sections of Delaware’s capital.
Social media was abuzz with photos and videos showing devastating scenes of debris and heavy rain. One particularly harrowing moment captured a possible tornado ripping through Atlantic Beach on Long Island’s outer barrier. The storm ravaged a popular beach club, with shattered beach chairs and broken wood beams strewn across the shoreline.
The Inwood Fire Department reported extensive damage or destruction to dozens of cabanas at the Sun and Surf Beach Club. Fire Chief Josiyah Green remarked about the absence of injuries or rescues, attributing it to sheer luck. Green noted, “Just by the grace of luck that a lot of people weren’t hurt here because this beach club is a very popular place during the summer.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency in response to the weather crisis. He confirmed that first responders were actively assisting people trapped in vehicles due to flooding along the south shore.
The National Weather Service had issued warnings about waterspouts, which are tornado-like phenomena occurring over water, though they could not immediately confirm a tornado at the beach. Meteorologist Bryan Ramsey stated that the storm was moving eastward offshore on Thursday evening and was expected to subside over the next few hours.
Flooding also impacted other areas in New York. The Long Island Expressway in Queens was shut down in both directions due to heavy flooding, as reported by New York City Emergency Management. Images circulating on social media depicted emergency crews wading through the submerged highway to assist stationary vehicles.
In Dover, Delaware, a tornado touched down, causing widespread damage but no reported injuries, according to local police. Officials confirmed the tornado’s impact shortly after 6 p.m. local time. Significant structural damage occurred at the Days Inn and Super Lodge in Dover, where portions of roofs collapsed, and external components of buildings suffered considerable harm.
Dover Police Lt. Mark Hoffman indicated that the pattern and scope of damage strongly suggested a tornado occurrence. This assessment was supported by online visuals showing uprooted trees, downed power lines, and flooded streets.
One eyewitness, Kuimonie Goins from Greensboro, North Carolina, described the frightening scene as she and her family took refuge in a hotel bathroom during the storm. She recounted witnessing pieces of the building flying and the tornado forming before taking shelter.
The Delaware Electric Cooperative reported that over 1,000 individuals were left without power in the storm’s wake, particularly affecting the northern part of its service area. Additionally, the weather service issued flash flood warnings for regions in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey due to the severe weather.