A rare tornado warning was issued and hail was reported in parts of New York City, as the East Coast braced for damaging winds and strong to severe thunderstorms ahead of a cold front pushing across the eastern US.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for New York, including New York City, as well as New Jersey, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and eastern Maryland through Tuesday afternoon.
A tornado warning was initially issued in parts of Manhattan, the first time the city had seen an April tornado warning in nearly a decade. The warning did not impact a central area of the city where a coronavirus patient field hospital has been established.
The warning was cancelled shortly after it was issued, but strong winds persisted through the afternoon.
Hail was reported throughout the city's boroughs, while massive, sinister cloud formations and water spouts were spotted off the New Jersey coastline.
The last tornado to hit New York City was in August 2018, when an 85 mph tornado roared through Queens and knocked down several trees and power lines.
Colder air is expected to hit the East Coast late on Tuesday and into Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the southern US is bracing for more severe weather following several deadly tornadoes.
Damaging winds and flash floods are predicted for much of the southeastern US from Wednesday through Thursday.
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Residents have been warned of 60mph winds, frequent lightning, and hail.
Damage to trees and power lines is expected.
A rare tornado warning with a fast-moving storm was issued for parts of New York City on Tuesday with alerts for residents to stay indoors.
The warning was lifted but severe storms are still expected for parts of the East Coast in front of a cold snap.
Seventy mph winds were reported in New York City following a severe storm warning for the East Coast.
Meanwhile, a brief hailstorm was reported in Queens:
During the severe thunderstorm warning for the East Coast, a water spout was filmed forming off of the New Jersey shore in Asbury Park:
NBC meteorologist Kathryn Prociv says a rare warning was last issued in 2011:
Severe storms are expected in the southeast US this week after deadly storms and tornadoes tore through parts of the south over the last two weeks.
A new storm system could bring more tornadoes, along with hail, damaging winds and flash floods to eastern Texas and parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
By Thursday night, severe weather is expected to cover most of the south east from New Orleans to north Florida up to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Some areas could see one to three inches of rain and some localized flash flooding with continued downpours.
Stay with The Independent for more.
