On Thursday night (August 20), a powerful summer storm swept through New York City and Long Island. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed on Friday (August 21) that a waterspout formed over the Atlantic Ocean during the storm and made landfall at Atlantic Beach on Long Island, transforming into a tornado which caused severe damage to the local beach clubs.
This is the first confirmed tornado touchdown in Nassau County since 2021.
A video circulating on social media shows a massive waterspout coming from the sea towards the land, hitting the Sun and Surf Beach Club located on Atlantic Beach.
Approximately 50 beach cabins on the site were either damaged or completely destroyed, with roofs ripped off, giant timbers and debris scattered everywhere. The nearby Silver Point Beach Club was also affected.
According to CBS, the Inwood Fire Department and search and rescue teams conducted a thorough search of each cabin and confirmed that no one was trapped. Only one club employee sustained minor head injuries but refused on-site medical treatment.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman stated, “The tornado formed in an instant, luckily causing no serious injuries or fatalities.” In response to the disaster, Nassau County has declared a state of emergency, and the two beach clubs have been temporarily closed.
In addition to the tornado on Long Island, the storm brought heavy rain and strong winds causing parts of New York City to flood. Brooklyn and Queens were particularly affected, with streets quickly submerged in rainwater, overwhelming the drainage systems within minutes.
Sections of the Long Island Expressway (LIE) in Queens had to be closed in both directions due to deep flooding, forcing firefighters to wade through water to clear the roads. Some drivers were forced to climb onto the roofs of their cars to avoid the floodwaters, while others clung to trees in knee-deep water for safety.
In Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey, emergency responders even deployed rubber boats to rescue dozens of stranded individuals from flooded vehicles.
The New York City subway lines A, C, and E experienced delays on Friday morning, but services have since returned to normal.