EF1 tornado in Suffolk County, New York

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team confirmed an EF1 tornado in Shirely, NY. A tornado likely touched down just southwest of Francine Place and Mastic Blvd, travelling east northeast along the Long Island Railroad tracks and adjacent backyards.

Numerous oak, maple, and pine trees were uprooted and laying in a northerly direction. Several trees were also snapped at the trunk or had large branches sheared off along this path. In addition, minor roof and siding damage was observed for several houses, as well as leaf splatter on south and east sides. The damage swath at this point was only about 25 yards wind. The tornado then hooked northeast over the Lidl Supermarket (Southwestern corner of the Shopping Center Complex),

flipping over a 5 Ton air handler unit on the roof, before tearing off the parapet and collapsing the covered walkway of the Chiptole Mexican Grill on the northeast corner of the Shopping Center. The damage path remained about 25 yards, but damage was consistent with EF1 winds of 95 to 105 mph.

Public video showed the apparent tornadic circulation lifting northeast across the intersection of William Floyd Parkway and Montauk Highway towards the Applebee's Shopping Center, with debris being thrown in one direction then another. Siding and Shingles from the Chiptole were thrown northeast about 250 yards across this

intersection and into The Applebee's Shopping Center. Other than the debris, some small trees were uprooted in the parking lot and laying to the northeast and flashing was ripped off the south side of the Applebee's and unoccupied adjacent retail store. The tornadic circulation may have briefly lifted at this point, with about a 50 yd. swath of 65 to 75 mph straight line winds across this shopping center.

The tornadic circulation then touched down once again to the northeast of the Applebee's Shopping Center lifting the entire roof off a 2 story multi family residence on the corner of Grand Avenue and McGraw Street. The roof was tossed as far as 150 yards to the north, into the backyard of neighboring houses to the north on Grand Avenue. One section of this roof, actually impaled itself into the side of the neighboring house to the north, and made such a strong impact that it skewed the vertical structure of that house. Based on the extent of structural damage to these houses, and adjacent 50 yd. swath of uprooted, snapped or sheared large trees, this damage was consistent

with EF1 winds of around 100 mph. The tornado strength likely peaked at this point. The entirety of the EF1 Tornadic damage path to the southwest and northeast of Montauk High was around 1/4 mile.

The tornado would then make its way north across Sunrise Highway, skipping its way northeast for the next 4 1/2 miles, with areas of damage consistent with an EF0. On its path it continued northeast through Brookhaven Calabro Airport, flipping over or shift a few small single engine planes, thereafter it moved northeast through Pancho Drive, Titmus Drive, Abbott Avenue, and Burney Blvd just to the east northeast of the airport. Several large trees were uprooted, trunks snapped or branches sheared in an approximately 50 yd. path, with accompanying minor roof, siding and fencing damage in this area. The tornado likely skipped north to the intersection of Barnes Roads and Moriches-Middle Island Road with a small area of additional tree damage, before making a final nearly mile long and 50 yd. wide tornado damage path northeast across Pine Hills Golf Course, and then through the neighborhoods of Foreston Circle, Eagle Lane, Nestledown Avenue, Wading River Road, Tupelo Street and then across to the intersection of Silas Woods Road and South Street before finally lifting. Several dozens of large hard and soft wood trees were uprooted and laying in a Northerly or Northeast

direction, as compared to the east northeast direction of storm movement. In addition, numerous tree tops were completely sheared to stubs and tree trunks snapped. Minor roof and siding damage was observed for numerous houses along this path, with several fences and chimneys destroyed. A large north / south facing camper on Tupelo Drive as rolled westward on its side. The described one mile long, 50 yd. wide convergent tornadic damage pattern was consistent with an EF1 tornado with 85 to 95

mph winds and was flanked to the southeast by a 500 yd. path of scattered tree and powerline damage and minor structural damage consistent with 65 to 75 mph southwesterly straight line winds.

A strong and slow moving frontal boundary, along with a potent mid level disturbance triggered strong to severe thunderstorms which impacted Southeastern New York. Six tornadoes also touched down across Long Island with one in Nassau County and five across Suffolk County.