Debby aftermath: EF-0 New Paltz tornado, explained
There have been no reports of injuries, but the tornado did uproot several trees in the area.
Late Friday night, the National Weather Service confirmed an EF-0 tornado, with estimated peak wind of 76 mph, touched down in New Paltz from 5:51 p.m. to 5:52 p.m.
The tornado developed near New Paltz High School and moved over the New York State Thruway near Exit 18 before dissipating quickly. There have been no reports of injuries, but the tornado did uproot several trees in the area.
These types of tornadoes related to tropical systems, like Debby, can sometimes have little to no advance warning as they spin up and dissipate very quickly. Many times, there is not a lot of rotation indicated, but it does not take a lot of rotation to spin up these tornadoes. They often end up being on the lower end of the Enhanced Fujita Scale, used to assign tornadoes these "ratings" based on estimated wind speed. Still, an EF-0 tornado can have winds of 65 to 85 mph and cause some damage.
The News 12 Storm Watch Team was highlighting the chance for isolated tornadoes for several days in advance of what was Post-Tropical Depression Debby at its closest pass to the Lower Hudson Valley.
Anytime a tornado is a possibility, it is important to do your best not to travel during peak storm time just in case of a quick tornado spin-up. Remember, the News 12 app is a great resource to have with you at all times, but especially when severe weather strikes. We will send you notifications right before we go LIVE with an important update so you can stream News 12's coverage right away and do not miss important new information.
I know there's still cleanup going on across the Lower Hudson Valley, but I hope you can still enjoy some of the weekend and the return of a nicer stretch of weather.
