A tornado confirmed by the National Weather Service struck Atlantic Beach on Long Island's south shore Thursday evening, marking the first confirmed tornado in Nassau County since 2021. The waterspout formed over water and came ashore around 7:11 p.m. near the Sun and Surf Beach Club on Atlantic Boulevard.
The National Weather Service based its confirmation on radar data, video footage of the waterspout moving onshore, and damage reports in the vicinity of the beach club. The waterspout likely paralleled the far southeastern portion of the Rockaways near the mouth of the East Rockaway Inlet before coming ashore.
More than 100 guests were inside the Sun and Surf Beach Club when the tornado struck. Powerful winds ripped through the property, destroying an estimated 30 to 50 cabanas and sending furniture and debris flying across the area. Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said first responders discovered approximately 30 one-story cabanas either damaged or destroyed. The tornado tore down several wooden beams and damaged many of the cabanas, according to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who discussed the incident at a news conference Friday morning.
One person suffered a minor injury, though no serious injuries were reported and no one was hospitalized, according to officials. "Fortunately, there were no injuries. There might've been one minor injury, but no serious injuries reported. Nobody went to the hospital and there were no casualties," Blakeman said.
The tornado lasted only minutes. The Inwood Fire Department received a call for severe wind damage at the beach club around 7:15 p.m. Thursday. Chief of Department Josiyah Green of the Inwood Fire Department said first responders found extensive damage requiring significant repair work. The beach club will remain closed until further notice.
Beyond the beach club, the tornado caused additional damage in the surrounding area. On Southern State Parkway near Queens, a couple of vehicles went through water and stalled, requiring assistance to be removed. A home in Stewart Manor lost its roof.
The National Weather Service indicated there was another circulation about one mile farther east that could have spawned a shoreward-moving waterspout in the Atlantic Beach and Five Towns area of far southwestern Nassau County. No damage reports were associated with that waterspout as of Friday morning.
Damage from the tornado and Thursday's severe storms prompted Nassau County to declare a state of emergency and activate its Emergency Operations Center. The state of emergency was lifted Friday morning. The storms also forced officials to close highways across the city due to torrential rain. A second tornado formed off the coast of Far Rockaway in Queens during the same weather event. Weather service crews were scheduled to view the damage Friday to determine the strength and path of the tornado.
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