New York has been blasted by huge storms as a massive waterspout, a tornado warning and heavy flooding on Thursday evening stunned residents across the state.
Shocking videos captured a waterspout off the South Shore of Long Island as strong wind and rain blasted the region.
The National Weather Service said it was ‘reviewing damage’ from two twisters in the eastern Rockaways and Atlantic Beach in southern Queens and Nassau counties, according to ABC7.
The terrifying waterspouts, which were captured on camera by astonished locals, appeared to have come ashore between 6.30pm and 7pm.
Meanwhile, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said a tornado had touched down in Atlantic Beach, according to the outlet.
A tornado warning was also issued in Queens, in New York City, with officials urging residents to go indoors, move away from windows and avoid basements.
The downpour triggered flash floods in other parts of the Big Apple, as the city’s subway system became flooded.
Air travel was disrupted across New York as a result of the inclement weather, as the FAA issued ground delays for flights arriving at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports.
The New York Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, Long Island, was badly damaged by a water spout on Thursday eveningÂ
Owner Alex Jacobson stands in front of a trashed terrace at the New York Beach Club on Friday
A kitchen area had its roof ripped off and was terribly damaged during the extreme weather event Thursday nightÂ
Debris was strewn across the sand of the New York Beach Club on Friday morning after Thursday’s storm
Two waterspouts in the eastern Rockaways and Atlantic Beach in southern Queens and Nassau counties were reported amid massive storms in New York on Thursday
Huge delays were reported on the New York City subway system, which was flooded as a result of the massive downpour
The NWS said the first waterspout spotted on Long Island appeared to have been short-lived after coming onshore in the eastern Rockaways, according to ABC7.
Meanwhile, the second apparent waterspout in Atlantic Beach had caused significant damage, according to preliminary reports.
Radar evidence suggested that this waterspout may have survived for longer, per the outlet.
The Inwood Fire Department received a call for severe wind damage around at the Sun and Surf Beach Club in Atlantic Beach around 7.15pm.
Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said that a tornado had appeared to touch down.
As of early Friday, the NWS had not yet confirmed any tornadoes on Long Island.
First responders found about 50 one-story damaged or destroyed cabanas from the massively windy weather, CBS New York reported.
A club employee suffered a minor head injury but turned down medical attention.
New Jersey was also affected by the massive thunderstorms, with ground stops and delays at Newark Airport throughout the day
New York City authorities had issued a travel advisory to begin the day because of strong thunderstorms that could produce rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour
The MTA has told New York City locals and visitors to plan for travel timeÂ
‘Best I can call it is luck,’ Inwood Fire Department chief Josiyah Green told the outlet.Â
‘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,’ Green added.
The club has been closed until further notice after the wreckage caused by Thursday’s weather.
Nassau County declared a state of emergency, as other parts of New York also contended with the heavy downpour.
In Queens, a tornado warning was issued around 6.50pm through 7.15pm, with New York City authorities urging residents to ‘take shelter NOW.’
‘Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter,’ the city’s emergency notification system wrote.
Part of the Long Island Expressway was closed in both directions due to massive flooding.
Water also inundated the NYC subway system, causing massive delays. Footage showed gigantic streams descending into stations.
The C train was suspended as crews removed water from the tracks. The A, E and F lines were also experiencing delays, as of 1am Friday.Â
The MTA has urged travelers to plan for extra travel time going into Friday morning.Â
The flooding caused subway lines around New York to be suspended or delayed, causing headaches for localsÂ
New York City saw a tornado warning being issued in Queens around 7pm, with residents being told to urgently take shelter
New York City authorities had issued a travel advisory to begin the day, warning that strong thunderstorms could produce rainfall rates of one to two inches per hour.
JFK, LaGuardia and Newark saw average delays of 100 minutes to more than two and a half hours around Friday afternoon, the New York City Emergency Management office posted on X.
As a whole, there were 167 cancellations and 414 delays at JFK Airport, according to FlightAware.
LaGuardia had 219 cancellations and 299 delays, while Newark in New Jersey, which was also pelted by the rain, saw 116 cancellations and 413 delays.
Travelers were told to allow for additional travel time and be prepared for delays or flight changes.
As of 1.40am on Friday, the ground stops at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark were no longer active.
However, the FAA was still reporting delays at all three New York airports.
Departures at JFK faced delays of up to two hours, while departures at Newark could be delayed for about 30 and 15 minutes, respectively.
Meanwhile, JFK had seen 24 cancellations, LaGuardia 10 and Newark six.Â
