The 2010 Brooklyn/Queens tornadoes were a severe weather event that occurred in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in New York City on September 16, 2010. These tornadoes were the second and third to touch down in New York City that year, the first having occurred in the Bronx on July 25.
Summary
The Statue of Liberty in the September 16 storm
The storms struck New York City just as the evening rush hour was beginning. Damaging winds, heavy downpours, and hail up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) wreaked havoc with the evening commute.[2] Hundreds of downed trees led to a temporary suspension of service on the Long Island Rail Road, Amtrak, and several New York City Subway services including the 7, L, and M, leaving tens of thousands of commuters stranded.[3]
A woman was killed when a tree fell and crushed the vehicle she was driving. Another man in Flushing was killed by a tree crashing into his home by Kissena Park. Extensive and widespread wind damage led to over 30,000 downed trees, and power lines. During the storm, winds tore trees out of the ground before blowing them up to 30–40 feet (9.1–12.2 m) away. According to Con Edison, more than 25,000 customers lost power in Queens while 5,000 were without power in Staten Island. Four buildings across Brooklyn and Queens reported experiencing a partial collapse due to tornadic winds. The worst damage was concentrated in the neighborhoods of Middle Village, Forest Hills, and Bayside in Queens as well as Park Slope and Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn.[4] Scattered power outages were reported across parts of the city.[5]
Two separate tornadoes were later confirmed in Park Slope and Flushing, two areas that suffered the worst damage from the storms. The stronger of the two tornadoes touched down over Flushing and was rated an EF1 with maximum winds of 100 mph. The tornado touched down in Flushing Meadows Corona Park and headed through Northeast Queens, dissipating over Little Neck Bay. The twister tore down the 150-year-old steeple of St. George's Church in downtown Flushing.[6] In addition to the tornadoes, the National Weather Service confirmed the occurrence of a macroburst bringing winds up to 125 miles per hour (201 km/h) to a wide swath of Middle Village and Forest Hills. In Forest Hills, a group of trees were knocked over in MacDonald park, destroying the park and surroundings.[7] Combined, the two tornadoes caused $25.7 million in damages.[8]
These tornadoes were part of a small outbreak that produced several damaging tornadoes across the Midwest, especially in Ohio. An EF2 tornado caused severe damage, totaling $35 million, near Wooster, Ohio.[9] Another strong EF3 tornado that destroyed numerous homes near Reedsville, Ohio and Belleville, West Virginia killed one person and injured several more. This became the first fatal tornado in West Virginia in a decade.[10] The stadium at Athens High School was destroyed by a tornado.[11]
Severe damage at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center where greenhouses and a large brick laboratory building were destroyed and other buildings were heavily damaged. Over 150 houses and barns were also damaged, some significantly with a few destroyed. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted and vehicles were flipped and tossed. One person was injured.
Two houses were destroyed and many others were damaged, some heavily. Major damage to hundreds of trees and to power lines and poles. One person was injured. Damage also occurred in West Rushville.
Severe damage in the area, with 13 houses and many mobile homes destroyed and dozens of other houses damaged, some heavily. Many trees were uprooted or snapped. 7 people were injured.
1 death - Severe damage on both sides of the Ohio River. Over 50 houses were damaged or destroyed with at least 2 that were completely leveled. Numerous mobile homes and farm buildings were damaged or destroyed. Mobile home frames were found wrapped around tree stumps. Extensive tree damage occurred and vehicles were tossed and destroyed. 16 others were injured, some seriously.
1 death - Many trees were knocked down including one falling onto a car killing one person driving along Grand Central Parkway. Several houses and businesses were also damaged, and many windows were blown out. One other person was injured and one indirect death was also reported.
