Tornado Strikes Long Island’s Atlantic Beach, Causing Extensive Damage
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed Friday that a tornado touched down in Atlantic Beach, Long Island, on Thursday evening, after moving ashore from the ocean.
According to the NWS, radar data, video footage of the waterspout coming ashore, and reports of damage near the Sun and Surf Beach Club confirmed the tornado’s touchdown.
The tornado caused extensive damage to local beach clubs, including the Sun and Surf Beach Club. Officials said approximately 50 cabanas were damaged or destroyed. One person suffered a minor head injury but did not require medical treatment.
Nassau County officials said there were no serious injuries, and the county’s state of emergency, declared following Thursday’s severe storms and flooding, was lifted Friday morning.
The NWS also reported another circulation farther east that may have produced a waterspout near Atlantic Beach and the Five Towns area, although no damage had been linked to that event.
The tornado was the first confirmed tornado in Nassau County since 2021. Officials said the storm developed quickly, moving from the ocean onto land, while emergency crews responded to flooding and storm-related incidents across the area.
The affected beach clubs, including Sun and Surf and Silver Point, are expected to remain temporarily closed while officials assess the damage.
Images: Tornado/waterspout and storm damage in Atlantic Beach, New York.