New York Tornado Hits Yates County, Leaves Trail of Damage

A tornado was confirmed in Yates County after a day of bad weather. The storm touched down near Rock Stream at about 10:55 a. m. Thursday. Meteorologists measured winds of up to 90 mph as the tornado moved across the area. It carved a path from Reading Road to Fir Tree Point on Seneca Lake. The tornado grew stronger near Old Lake Road and Route 14. Survey teams saw trees twisted in a chaotic pattern, showing the force of tornadic winds. Many trees were uprooted along this stretch. A house in the area had its garage collapse, adding to the damage.The storm weakened before it ended near Fir Tree Point on the western shore of Seneca Lake. This event was part of a larger severe weather outbreak across New York. Other thunderstorms caused strong winds, power outages, and tornado warnings in different parts of the state. The National Weather Service is still checking the damage from Thursday’s storms. They are working to understand how many people were affected and what repairs will be needed.