Meteorologists confirm EF-1 tornado strikes City of Buffalo on Monday

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - National Weather Service meteorologists confirmed for WBEN on Monday an EF-1 rated tornado did touch down in the Lower West Side neighborhood of Buffalo in the shadows of the downtown district.

National Weather Service meteorologist Kirk Apfel confirmed Monday afternoon with WBEN the tornado touched down and impacted areas like the intersection of Niagara and Carolina Streets, eventually making its way further into the downtown region.

WBEN received a number of videos from listeners who witnesses the funnel cloud from downtown office buildings.

Tornado damage was reported along several streets in the Lower West Side neighborhood, including tree damage and power lines down along Niagara Street, Carolina Street, Prospect Avenue and Whitney Place.

Building damage was reported on the 200 block of 7th Street at the Ellicott Center Nursing Home, as the roof on the West wing of the building was torn apart. Meanwhile, the building at 259 Niagara Street also sustained significant damage to the roof, as it was torn off from the structure.

There was even some reported damage to both Buffalo City Hall and the Delaware North building downtown.

Department of Public Works commissioner Nate Marton says upwards of 50 trees were impacted as a result of the tornado on Monday, with approximately half of them either having to come down completely, or will soon come down due to damage suffered in the storm.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the tornado. Multiple streets around the affected areas were closed into the evening hours, while several homes and businesses were without power for hours.

At one point, the tornado was seen passing through Johnson Park, adjacent to Hutch Tech High School along Elmwood Avenue. The Buffalo Public School District issued the following statement regarding storm damage:

“Earlier today, a severe wind event in Downtown Buffalo caused some minor damage to a tree and a few windows at Hutchinson Central Technical High School, PS 304. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the damage is currently being repaired. There are only a limited number of students in other BPS schools today, and they are safe. All students will be transported home as usual."

Here's a look at the tornado captured on video, as well as some photos shared on X, formerly known as Twitter: