Waterspout seen off shore of Long Island as severe storms tore through Northeast
LONG ISLAND, NY (WPVI) -- The National Weather Service confirmed Friday morning that a tornado touched down in Atlantic Beach as severe storms tore through Long Island Thursday evening, destroying more than 30 cabanas at a beloved Nassau County beach club.
More than 100 guests were inside the Sun and Surf Beach Club in Atlantic Beach when powerful winds ripped through the property, tearing apart cabanas and sending furniture and debris flying.
The National Weather Service said Friday that radar data, video and damage reports confirmed a waterspout came ashore as a tornado on the far west end of Atlantic Beach between 6:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday.
The NWS said the waterspout likely paralleled the far southeastern portion of the Rockaways near the mouth of the East Rockaway Inlet before coming onshore.
Video captured the spinning column of air and water approaching the shoreline.
Damage reported near the Sun and Surf Beach Club, along with radar data and video showing the waterspout coming ashore, allowed the NWS to confirm the tornado touched down in the area.
Forecasters are continuing to investigate whether there was additional tornadic activity.
The NWS said radar detected another circulation about a mile farther east that could have produced another waterspout moving toward shore in the Atlantic Beach and Five Towns area. As of Friday morning, however, no damage reports associated with that circulation had been received.
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At the Sun and Surf Beach Club, more than 30 occupied cabanas were damaged or destroyed. It remains unclear when the club will be able to reopen.
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A board member who was inside the club described terrifying moments as the storm struck.
"The noise was frightening, you could hear the wind, it was extremely violent," Sun and Surf board member Richard Accarino said.
Accarino said the building began moving and shaking as windows pounded and furniture from the cabanas and deck flew through the air. Those inside ran toward an interior room out of fear that windows or glass doors could shatter.
The Inwood Fire Department received a call for severe wind damage at the club around 7:15 p.m. First responders searched the damaged cabanas to make sure no one was trapped.
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One person suffered a minor head injury. No other civilians or first responders were reported injured.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said Thursday night that a tornado had touched down in Atlantic Beach, with damage being assessed at the Sun and Surf and Silver Point beach clubs. The National Weather Service officially confirmed the Atlantic Beach tornado Friday morning.
Blakeman declared a state of emergency and activated Nassau County's Emergency Operations Center following the storms.
Flooding was also reported elsewhere along Nassau County's South Shore, where some motorists became trapped in their vehicles and required assistance.
About 2,000 customers on Long Island remained without power early Friday morning.
The National Weather Service said it is continuing to review incoming damage reports with emergency management officials and expects to provide additional information on the confirmed tornado and the cause of any other damage paths later Friday.
