A tornado barreled through the New York City borough of Queens on Thursday night as powerful thunderstorms moved through the area. With winds between 70 and 85 mph, it was rated EF-0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
According the NWS, the twister touched down in College Point, Queens and traveled 0.7 miles east before dissipating in the Melba neighborhood. Measuring 100 yards wide, it knocked down at least 50 trees and numerous power lines. It also pulled the siding off several homes. No fatalities have been reported.
Tornadoes, historically, have been rare in New York City. In recent years, however, they have been happening more frequently. This latest twister was the 7th to hit NYC since 2010 and the 14th since 1950, when the NWS began tracking these destructive storms.
Tornado damage in Queens, NYC. Credit: WABC