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F0 tornado in Suffolk County, New York

Tornado June 26, 1997 · Suffolk County, New York

F0
Rating
0.1 mi
Path length
20 yd
Path width
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

NOAA recorded where this tornado touched down but not where it lifted, so it appears as a point. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F0 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F0 meant light damage: shingles and siding peeled, gutters torn, branches broken; the scale paired it with winds of 40–72 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

The wider storm

A line of scattered severe thunderstorms developed in a moist unstable airmass ahead of an approaching cold front. These storms produced high winds and hail. High winds downed several trees and power lines in several areas. The "swath" of greatest damage extended from Central Rockland County southeast across Southern Westchester County, Northern Nassau County and Northwest Suffolk County. High winds also downed trees and power lines in Greenwood Lake and Chester (Orange County). They resulted in accidents, causing seven people to get injured in Newburgh. A driver and passenger were injured in Newburgh when a tree fell across Route 52 and landed on their car. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service Upton Office confirmed that a weak F0 tornado occurred late Thursday afternoon in the Cherry Grove Community on Fire Island. Damage was light with a few businesses, houses, and boats at the ferry terminal at Cherry Grove being affected. The damage was limited to awnings, windows, roofs, and trees.The tornado formed in a thunderstorm complex that produced severe wind damage across Southeast NY, from Central Rockland, southeast to Northwest Suffolk Counties. A 56 mph wind gust was measured by a Weather Access Automated Station at the Fire Island Coast Guard, which is about 10 miles west of Cherry Grove.Additionally, it was learned that a cloud-to-ground lightning strike to one of the ferries servicing the area resulted in damage to the radio/navigation system on the vessel.Funnel clouds were sighted from Bayville to Syosset in Northern Nassau County and in Huntington in Northwest Suffolk County.

Began near Fire Island (40.6800, -73.0000).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5610292. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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