EF-0 tornado occurred in Ulster County, New York as Debby remnants impacted area, National Weather Service says
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – A tornado occurred in Ulster County on Friday as the remnants of Debby impacted the Tri-State Area, the National Weather Service said.
According to a NWS Albany damage survey, an EF-0 tornado crossed the New York State Thruway near exit 18 in New Paltz just before 6 p.m. EF-0 tornadoes are the weakest on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with speeds of 65-85 mph.
The NWS said the tornado uprooted a few trees as it crossed the interstate. According to the report, the tornado reached an estimated peak wind speed of 76 mph, and its path was .59 miles in length and 30 yards in width. It only lasted about a minute, and no one was injured.
A tornado watch was in effect across portions of New York and New Jersey for several hours Friday as the remnants of what was once Hurricane Debby moved through the region. A tornado warning was briefly issued in Orange County just before 5 p.m. There have not yet been any reports of a tornado touching down there.
The gusty winds knocked down trees and utility lines across the Tri-State Area, causing power outages and messy commutes. Hundreds of flights were canceled at all three local airports, and hundreds more were delayed.
The severe weather arrived as some communities were still trying to clean up from storms earlier in the week. Heavy rain and storms Tuesday caused flooding and major damage in parts of New York and New Jersey.