Whipping Winds Bring Down Trees in Queens, Coney Is.
New York (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Winds whipped across the Tri-State Area Friday and will continue to howl into Saturday morning, forecasters said.
A wind advisory is in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday morning for parts of the area.
In Queens, a large tree came crashing down onto a home and in Long Island some trees were no match for the strong winds blowing through West Islip.
Friday night, a dangerous tangle of power lines, a crushed gate, and carved up tree limbs blocked the front door of a home on 215th street in Hollis.
Around 4 p.m. Friday afternoon, as winds were howling, the big tree came down with a roar, slamming the roof and satellite dish.
"Everybody started running, they didn't know what to expect," Belinda Pair told CBS 2's Dave Carlin.
No one was hurt when the tree came down, but Pair's house -- like the rest of the block -- was without power for several hours.
LISTEN: WCBS 880's Craig Allen with Weather To Go
Jessica Stein was out walking her dog Leila in Long Island City and said she was not prepared for the quick drop in temperatures brought in by the winds.
"I feel like we're already in the deep of fall. There was no transition that there usually is from summer to fall," Stein told CBS 2's Hazel Sanchez.
High winds led to delays in and out of all area airports. Passengers flying into New York said it was smooth sailing until they were coming in for a landing.
"It was really bumpy and you know it just kind of tossed us around a little bit, but we got in ok," Julie Duncan of Fort Lauderdale said.
A toppled tree also blocked several lanes of the Belt Parkway near the Ocean Parkway exits in Coney Island, CBS 2's Dave Carlin reported. No one was hurt in the incident.
Westchester County also experienced wind-related problems.
The wind was blamed for a power outage in Greenburgh Friday afternoon. That forced police to direct traffic on Central Park Avenue and kept one homeowner from getting into her house.
"I can't get in my house because I don't carry my house key, I have a garage door opener which doesn't work now...because the power is out" Lisa Lobo told CBS 2's Lou Young.
"I hope this ends soon."
The wind also moved through downtown White Plains, with gusts building in intensity as the afternoon wore on.
"The wind just whips right through," Kevin Dolan said, "[it] almost knocks you off your feet."
The strong winds even impressed one out-of-town jogger.
"I'm from Chicago, this is pretty brutal," John McCormack said.
Blustery conditions are also expected Saturday before the winds diminish Saturday night.
The good news? Despite the windy conditions over the weekend, temperatures will warm up a bit.
Residents in Brooklyn and Queens know all too well what kind of damage strong winds can bring, as many are still recovering from last month's twister.
In fact, President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster in New York City following the deadly storm that spawned two devastating tornadoes, killing one woman and causing massive damage.
Gov. David Paterson announced Thursday that Obama issued the federal disaster declaration for Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. The declaration clears the way for an influx of federal funds to pay for up to 75 percent of the response, debris removal and repairs to public property.
Federal and state inspectors have estimated the damage and cleanup costs at $27 million.
The Sept. 16 storm barreled across the three boroughs, toppling thousands of trees. A macroburst with winds up to 125 mph added to the destruction.
One tree came down on the parked car where Iline Levakis was sitting, killing her.
