By Brian Hubert | Daily Freeman, Kingston, N.Y. (TNS)
New Paltz, N.Y. — The National Weather Service confirmed Monday that there were no injuries and no damage to buildings after a tornado touched down near Exit 18 on the Thruway Friday evening.
National Weather Service at Albany Meteorologist Brian Furgis said that photo and video evidence helped forecasters determine that the short-lived EFO tornado packing maximum winds of 76 mph touched down near the Exit 18 interchange at 5:51 p.m. and traveled in a northwesterly direction for about half a mile before it lifted at 5:52 p.m.
Damage was limited to some downed trees, Furgis said.
“It was fortunate it did not impact any cars or anything,” Furgis said. There was no damage to any buildings either, he said.
Furgis said the tornado was so weak and came and went so fast it didn’t even give forecasters a chance to issue a tornado warning. “Brief and weak tornados don’t always have radar signatures. “he said. “This one happened and was almost gone as fast as it occurred.
The entire Mid-Hudson region was under a tornado watch at the time when the tornado occurred as the remnants of Hurricane Debby pushed through the region on Friday bringing heavy rains to the area.
He added that the photos and videos provided to forecasters helped them to even confirm that it was a tornado that caused the downed trees.
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