NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — About 12,000 people in New York state were left without power Saturday afternoon after a wintery storm battered the Tri-State area.
The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch Saturday afternoon for the New York City region lasting through 7 p.m., warning of the possibility of downed trees and power lines.
As of 4 p.m., Con Edison reported 5,588 outtages in the five boroughs and Westchester — with the most outtages reported on Staten Island.
Another 5,767 outtages were reported in Nassau County on Long Island, while 685 outtages were reported in Suffolk County.
The region was battered by a strong but breif thunderstorm bringing high winds and, in some areas, small balls of hail.
A tornado warning was also issued Saturday afternoon for parts of Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island. The storm was located over Levittown shortly before 3 p.m. with reported winds of 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm is part of a winter front moving into the area, expected to bring colder temperatures and even snowfall in parts of the northeast this weekend.