The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in Queens on Thursday until 2 p.m. after detecting a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado northeast over Rockaway Beach shortly after 1 p.m. People in Queens were told to take shelter immediately.
The warning told anyone outdoors, in a mobile home or in a vehicle to get to the closest substantial shelter. The weather service also told motorists not to take shelter under highway overpasses, and it said heavy rainfall may hide a tornado.
Queens shelter guidance
The weather service directed people to a basement or to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and told them to avoid windows. As a last resort, if a person could not safely drive away from the tornado, the service said they should either park and stay put or leave the vehicle and lie down in a low-lying area while protecting themselves from flying debris.
The same storm was also capable of producing quarter-sized hail. Pockets of heavy rain were forecast through early Thursday evening, with gusting winds and overnight lows in the 30s later in the week.
Geoff Bansen forecast
Newsday meteorologist Geoff Bansen said wet snowflakes seemed unlikely for Nassau and Suffolk, but they could not be ruled out toward the end of the storm. He said, “Friday will be a raw, dreary day with periods of cold rain,” and added, “Temperatures will fall into the 30s late in the day [Friday] through Saturday morning. It will be breezy (which will make it feel colder), but no significant wind is expected.”
Bansen’s forecast pointed to a sharp turn after the storm: temperatures hovering in the upper 50s on Thursday were expected to fall to 40 degrees or below overnight, then reach an upper 40s high on Friday before dropping into the 30s. The National Weather Service also said wind gusts as high as 28 mph could be expected through Friday.
Long Island weather
Saturday and Sunday were expected to remain dry, with highs struggling to reach 50. The National Weather Service had also issued a small craft advisory for all Long Island waters and a gale warning for ocean waters east of Montauk.
The warning left Queens with an immediate shelter order while the storm moved through, and the broader forecast pointed to a cold, wet end to the week before quieter weather settled in over the weekend.
