Two tornadoes hit New York City as severe weather lashes Northeast

NEW YORK - Severe weather barreled across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Saturday as a powerful cold front brought heavy rain, high winds and at least one tornado into a beachfront neighborhood of New York City.

A waterspout with winds up to 70 mph churned onshore and turned into a tornado toward Breezy Point, officials said, a Queens neighborhood on the western edge of the Rockaway peninsula.

Amateur video captured images of the twister spiraling a mixture of sand and debris, which was largely flung onto a nearby baseball field, according to Ross Dickman, a National Weather Service spokesman.

The funnel churned about 600 yards inland before dissipating and was thought to be a relatively low-strength twister, Dickman said. But it still had enough power to knock down trees and power lines, causing minor structural damage to nearby buildings.

A second confirmed tornado touched down in Brooklyn, another New York City borough, around 11:30 a.m., according to the weather service. This twister was about 50 yards wide as it traveled a half mile in Canarsie, about 9 miles north of the other reported tornado.

No one was killed or injured as a result of the Brooklyn tornado, which had 110 mph winds -- meaning it is categorized as a strong EF1, on a scale from EF0 to the most powerful EF5.

Heavy thunderstorms also whipped through the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday, leaving nearly 1,000 households without power.

Twelve people at the Prince George's County Fair were injured as they tried to evacuate Show Place Arena, about 20 miles east of Washington, due to pending severe weather, the National Weather Service said on its official Twitter feed.

Father north, 12 counties in New York, five in New Jersey and three in southern Connecticut remained under tornado watches as a line of fast-moving storms mixed with warm, muggy air surrounding the New York metropolitan area.

The harsh weather forced U.S. Open men's and women's singles tennis matches in Flushing Meadows to be rescheduled to Sunday.

"This is just the beginning of an incredibly active, potentially deadly day," said CNN meteorologist Alexandra Steele.

Tornado warnings were extended across the Northeast until 9 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.

Fire officials responded to reports of apparent tornadoes in both Brooklyn and Queens, and said they uncovered damage in both areas, although no injuries were reported.

An FDNY official, who declined to be named citing official policy, said fire units were deployed to the Breezy Point area, responding to reports of overturned cars, broken windows and roof damage.

"It just got real windy and dark," said Juliana Santiago, who works at the Silver Gull Beach Club.

Roughly half a mile away, the Breezy Point Surf Club was damaged and closed after powerful storms knocked out the power, said Santiago.

"I heard a big wind and heard a snapping of a utility pole," said Jim Brady, who said he watched as the storms rolled in at Breezy Point.

"It literally looked like the Wizard of Oz," said Jim Brady, a fellow witness.

The harsh weather left 275 New York City households without power, emergency officials reported.

"New Yorkers in the path of these severe storms should take proper precautions now," said Jerome M. Hauer, Commissioner of the state's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. "Strong winds and heavy rain can be dangerous as well as causing serious damage, and our top priority must be that families and individuals in affected areas are kept safe."

The storms could cause "widespread power outages and possible wind damage," according to a statement from the agency.

Authorities urged residents stay away from windows, tie down lawn furniture, tools and hangings plants, and to check on neighbors, especially the elderly and disabled.

The agency also reminded people to keep their cellphones charged, beware of flooding and to stay off the roads until the storm passes. For additional information, authorities suggested visiting http://www.nyprepare.gov.

In 2010, three tornadoes ripped through the city, knocking down trees and power lines, while leaving several vehicles and buildings badly damaged.