Brief tornado strikes Buffalo, causes building damage and scatters tree branches

Buffalo, New York experienced severe weather on Monday, causing extensive damage to buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure in downtown. The National Weather Service was called in to determine if a swirling column witnessed in videos around 2 p.m. was indeed a tornado. The phenomenon was captured moving from Lake Erie towards the city, leaving a trail of destruction in its path. County Executive Mark Poloncarz expressed surprise at the sudden storm during a press briefing.

Images from the aftermath of the storm revealed overturned cars, twisted street signs, and debris scattered across roads and walkways. Despite the significant damage, there were fortunately no immediate reports of injuries. Poloncarz mentioned that a nursing facility affected by the storm was evaluating whether to relocate patients. Additionally, a school had windows damaged, traffic lights were knocked out, and some vehicles were flipped, Mayor Byron Brown reported.

Poloncarz noted that if confirmed, this would be the third tornado in Erie County in just one month, following tornado occurrences in the towns of Eden and West Falls three weeks ago. The community is likely to be on alert for further severe weather events and taking necessary precautions to ensure safety during such incidents.

Whether or not the recent storm is officially classified as a tornado, the city of Buffalo is left to clean up and assess the damage caused by the sudden and intense weather that hit the area.