Event Summary

A weak gustnado developed along the leading edge of a line of heavy showers and thunderstorms. A storm damage assessment team observed tree damage on Buchanan Avenue, where a 30 foot Pine tree was downed and another tree was uprooted. An eyewitness observed a swirling column of air at 428 pm that lasted about 10 seconds before moving northeast. As a rapidly intensifying low pressure system moved northeast, its' associated strong cold front swept east of the area between 4 am and 7 am. With high pressure building east behind this front, strong and gusty west winds occurred. The highest winds occurred behind this front, mainly during the morning and early afternoon. After a brief "lull," west winds peaked once again during Thursday evening, November 13th. High winds downed numerous trees and power lines, which resulted in widespread power outages throughout the area. Thousands of power outages were confirmed by local utility companies. Here are selected high wind measurements and damage reports from across the region. In the Bronx, the broadcast media reported downed trees and power lines. The wind system at the Bronx HS of Science measured a wind gust to 52 MPH. In Manhattan, the broadcast media reported fallen construction debris and fallen scaffolding. At Central Park, the highest sustained wind speed was 32 MPH at 9:08 pm and the highest gust was 47 MPH at 9:07 pm. In Staten Island, the broadcast media reported downed trees and power lines. In Brooklyn, the broadcast media reported downed tree limbs. The highest wind gusts measured by School Weathernet Stations ranged from 58 MPH at Saint Edmund Prep H.S. to 66 MPH at New Ultrecht High School. In Queens, the highest sustained winds at LaGuardia Airport were 47 MPH and the highest gust was 62 MPH, which occurred at 8:40 pm. At John F. Kennedy Airport, the highest sustained wind was 49 MPH at 12:32 pm and the highest gust was 56 MPH at 12:31 pm. Spotters reported that a 50 foot tree was blown down on Thornhill Road in Douglaston and a tree was downed on Hill Side Ave. and 243rd Street in Queens Village.