NYC weather: Funnel cloud forms over New York Harbor during severe storm

A severe storm that swept across New York City on Tuesday caused a funnel cloud to form over New York Harbor, the National Weather Service said.

The funnel cloud was spotted around 2:45 p.m. by Twitter user Michael Uturn, who said he filmed it from Downtown Brooklyn.

The National Weather Service reviewed photos and video from New York Harbor and confirmed the formation was a funnel cloud.

“From the videos we saw, there was no apparent sign of the circulation touching the water,” the NWS also said in a tweet.

baby Brooklyn tornado @NY1 pic.twitter.com/F83GWuH1oN

— michael uturn (@michaeluturn) July 17, 2018

We reviewed pictures and video from New York Harbor, and determined there was a funnel cloud. From the videos we saw, there was no apparent sign of the circulation touching the water.

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) July 17, 2018

pic.twitter.com/3iuvD3M1Ni
— Don (@dwill) July 17, 2018

A funnel cloud is not considered a tornado by National Weather Service standards unless the circulation reaches the ground.

Heavy rain, gusty winds, thunder and lightning slammed the city around 2:40 p.m., causing flooding on some roadways as well as inside subway stations.

Photos posted to Twitter from the First Avenue L train station in Manhattan showed at least an inch of floodwaters at the base of a staircase to the Brooklyn-bound platform.

The MTA tweeted the subway system also was experiencing flooding at Times Square as well as the 1 train station on Houston Street. Service along the 6 line was suspended between 125th Street and Hunts Point Avenue, the agency said.

“Severe weather is causing flooding in some areas across the system,” NYCT Subway tweeted. “Please stay safe, NYC.”