Weather Service: No Tornado after Rare New York City Warning

Government meteorologists say there were plenty of damaging winds, but no twisters in a storm that spawned a rare tornado warning in New York City.

The National Weather Service says crews assessed damage Saturday around the metropolitan area, including a pocket of downed trees north of the city in Mount Vernon. The agency says it found evidence that Friday evening’s thunderstorm packed the strong downdrafts known as microbursts, but not tornados’ spinning winds.

Weather Service meteorologist Brian Ciemnecki (SIMM’-neck-ee) says winds reached 65 to 75 mph in Mount Vernon.

The storm’s heavy rains, hail and lightning brought a tornado warning, stalled commuter trains and flooded parkways during the evening rush hour.