Severe Thunderstorms Possible This Evening

The weather folks are saying to be extra careful this afternoon/evening as any thunderstorms that do erupt may bring down trees or branches already weakened or hanging precariously due to the tornado.

..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT BERGEN…BRONX…ESSEX… FAIRFIELD…HUDSON…KINGS (BROOKLYN)…NASSAU…NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)…NORTHERN UNION…PASSAIC…QUEENS…ROCKLAND…SOUTHERN ORANGE…WESTCHESTER AND WESTERN SUFFOLK COUNTIES…

AT 728 PM EDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM GREENWOOD LAKE TO FLORHAM PARK…OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM SLOATSBURG TO MADISON…AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

PEOPLE IN BERGEN…BRONX…ESSEX…FAIRFIELD…HUDSON…KINGS (BROOKLYN)…NASSAU…NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)…NORTHERN UNION… PASSAIC…QUEENS…ROCKLAND…SOUTHERN ORANGE…WESTCHESTER AND WESTERN SUFFOLK COUNTIES…INCLUDING POMPTON LAKES…RINGWOOD… BLOOMINGDALE…GREENWOOD LAKE…SUMMIT…FAIRFIELD…MILLBURN… SLOATSBURG…WAYNE AND CALDWELL…SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN.

HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE…AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. IN ADDITION…VERY HEAVY RAIN…WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES AN HOUR…IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. THIS COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS… AND MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS. REMEMBER…IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER…YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

Stadium Vote Postponed

Wow, a lot of stuff to report on today. Michael Perlman, over at the Rego-Forest Preservation Council website, is reporting that the all-important West Side Tennis Club vote on the future of the Tennis Stadium has been postponed due to the tornado until Oct. 7th. Read more about it here: Forest Hills Tennis Stadium Becomes Shelter During Tornado & WSTC Voting Day Postponed.

The Tornado’s Hit on Local History

Here is a link to a great article from The Daily News on how the tornado impacted many historical structures here in Forest Hills and nearby communities: Historic Buildings Take Some Hits, But Live On.

By the way, I have seen several people referring to the storm as a “Macroburst.” It’s slightly annoying to me, just because I have heard that term very rarely used (I have been a ‘weather enthusiast,’ as they say, all my life). Anyway, I know in the section of Forest Hills that I live in, over near Grand Central Parkway, it was definitely a tornado because the darn thing went right over my apartment building while I was home. I have experienced straight-line winds from thunderstorms many times in the past (if anyone remembers the Diana Ross Central Park concert from many years ago, that was one instance of them). These were no macrobursting straight line winds. The thing rumbled and roared by like a freight train for about 30 seconds as it continued on its destructive path. No straight line winds or macroburst do that. Those types of winds last about a second as they bowl over everything in their path. This was unlike anything I have ever experienced, and until now I have never experienced a tornado! Now, if there is a real meteorologist reading this who wants to chime in, please do.

One theory I have is that the National Weather Service is so unused to tornadoes in the New York City area that they don’t quite know what to make of what happened. They flew around over our town in their helicopter and said to themselves, “Gee whiz, I see a lot of trees down. But there are barely any buildings blown away. Must be a Macroburst!”

Could it be that our buildings, constructed, as many of them were, so many years ago, were simply built better and sturdier than the modern structures the National Weather Service is so used to typically seeing easily flattened by the tornadoes out in the central U.S.? Just a theory.

Addendum: I was just thinking about this a few minutes after this post and wanted to add a couple of things. If this was indeed a tornado accompanied by a so-called “macroburst,” I just find it kind of bemusing. Just because as if we all didn’t have enough to worry about, now we have this new weather phenomenon that suddenly joins the ranks of hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, etc. I did a quick Google search and could not find any info on when the term “Macroburst” first started being used, or when this phenomenon was first identified. But I am pretty sure, when I was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s I don’t recall it ever being used, at least here in the New York City area. Now, what was the other thing I wanted to add? If I remember it, I will post it! 🙂

Addendum 2: Boy, is this post a work in progress, or what? I just remembered a few minutes after I finished the last addition what I wanted to say! I think I have pretty good evidence of the fact that at least in the northern section of Forest Hills, near Grand Central Parkway, it was indeed a tornado. One of the photos I took was of part of a tree blown SOUTHward by the storm, evidence of a twirling motion found in a tornado. Unlike a Macroburst, which if I understand correctly does not have rotation, the piece of this tree was torn from another one to its northeast on 72nd Road, and came to rest standing up near the corner of 72nd Road and 112th St.

Look closely and you will see that this tree is literally hanging; it is actually part of another tree nearby that blew off and got stuck here.

Some Details of Last Night’s Meeting

Image via Wikipedia

From Channel 2’s local website, some good coverage of last night’s town hall meeting about the storm. Are we starting to see a disturbing trend here? Will Bloomberg’s administration be remembered for a lax response to this disaster?

Judging by the lack of awareness of many New Yorkers to our localized disaster, I am not that surprised the response might be somewhat lacking.