Tornado warnings were issued for Dutchess County in New York and Fairfield County in Connecticut on Wednesday evening as severe thunderstorms rolled through the tri-state area, dropping hail, toppling trees and producing threatening clouds.
The tornado warnings were issued shortly after 7:15 p.m. and were in effect for about a half hour. Storm Team 4 said the quick-moving storms were capable of producing a tornado, and photos and video posted to social media appeared to show funnel clouds in Poughkeepsie and nearby Hopewell Junction in Dutchess County.
“We were kind of concerned. We saw that the sky was a dark color and then it was light, but I kept looking for a funnel cloud,” Pam Herrmann, of Poughkeepsie, said.
Trees were reported down in Hopewell Junction and East Fishkill, but fortunately there were no reports of injuries or property damage.
Video on social media showed hail pounding porches, parking lots and cars.
“In all my years of living here, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Saphire Daze said as she recorded hail outside her window.
Severe thunderstorms continued to roll through the area after that, with damaging winds and hail detected in Somerset and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey, according to Storm Team 4.
Heavy rain, thunder and lightning soaked and shook Waterbury, Connecticut, around sunset.
Thursday is the day everybody has been waiting for. Plenty of sunshine and warm, along with a few clouds with highs in the mid-70s. Friday starts nice, however, clouds develop later in the afternoon with isolated scattered showers and thunderstorms.
