Yes, Sunday's fierce storms on Long Island took the edge off the steamy temperatures -- but at what cost?
As he looked at the tree trunk laying across his crushed fence, Chris Gries of West Babylon shook his head in disgust.
"We needed rain," said Gries. "But not like this."
Gries and his dog ran for cover when the storm came roaring in Sunday, downing some 200 trees across Nassau and Suffolk counties.
According to the National Weather Service, It wasn't a tornado that hit Bethpage, Plainview, Bay Shore and Babylon; but it was another freaky summer storm that turned a steamy Sunday into a scary one.
Winds gusts reached sixty miles an hour in some areas.
In West Babylon, the wind was so strong it toppled a giant oak tree in Roy Canbler's front yard and sent an eighty pound outdoor bar flying across Michelle Meyer's backyard.
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"We were lucky my husband didn't fly up in the air because as he was coming off the deck -- he felt as if his whole body was being lifted by the wind," said Meyer.
No injuries have been reported, according to police in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
About 54,000 thousand Long Island homes lost electric power during the storm, said Mark Gross of the Long Island Power Authority.
Several thousand remained without power for over twenty four hours. Power is expected to be restored by Monday night or early Tuesday.
"These things can all be replaced," said Mindi Bieber, as she looked at a backyard shed crushed by a tree that ended up in her swimming pool.
"I just hope the pool liner doesn't leak," she said.
