Severe Storms Cause Damage in Delaware and New York City Area

Severe storms severely affected parts of Delaware and the New York City area on Thursday evening. A likely tornado struck Dover, and two waterspouts impacted regions of Queens and Long Island.

States of Emergency Declared

Officials declared states of emergency in Dover, Delaware’s capital, and Nassau County, New York, due to the storms. The severe weather caused flooding, disrupted travel, and led to reports of damage.

Impact in Dover Due to Likely Tornado

The suspected tornado in Dover caused significant damage, according to officials. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported receiving videos and evidence from a trained observer of a rain-wrapped tornado. They will conduct a damage assessment to confirm if the storm had tornado status and determine its severity. City officials issued a state of emergency shortly after 6 p.m. ET, advising residents to remain indoors and avoid roads. The Delaware Police Department announced on Facebook about the substantial storm damage.

Waterspouts in New York

In New York, NOAA is examining damage from two waterspouts that possibly affected parts of the Eastern Rockaways and Atlantic Beach in southern Queens and Nassau Counties from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Preliminary reports indicate damage in Atlantic Beach, and further information is expected on Friday. Photographs captured damage at the Sun and Surf Beach Club in Atlantic City. Nassau County also declared a state of emergency on Thursday due to the storms. Tornado and flash flood warnings were issued for parts of Queens. In Manhattan, videos on social media displayed subway stations flooded during the evening rush as intense rains hit the city.

Flight Disruptions

Severe weather led to flight groundings on Thursday evening at several airports including Philadelphia International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport. As of 10 p.m. ET, the airports were still experiencing approximately one-hour flight delays, according to FlightAware. Nationwide, around 6,750 flights were delayed and nearly 850 were canceled by late Thursday.

Weather Outlook for Friday

A flood watch remains in effect from Philadelphia to New York City until 2 a.m. Friday. The National Weather Service warns of possible scattered severe thunderstorms and excessive rainfall in the Mid-Atlantic region through the night. Heavy rain is expected to move toward Virginia and the Carolinas on Friday.

Contact the editors of Newsweek for further details: Edward T. Cummins.