So Was That Really a Tornado in New York City?

While we pick the branches from our Stoops and await official Ruling from the National Weather Service and the city's Office of Emergency Management has Whether That really was a tornado That caused Friday night's Storm Damage, here's an overview of the Choices they'll Have to make :

1) Judging by the Doppler radar Echos DURING the event, there was Significant rotation of the storm system? Doppler radar has the unique advantage of being Able Thurs Determine wind speeds Towards and away from the radar. Experts Should Be Able Thurs Determine if rotation occurred by using this data. For those interested, here's the radar that was Recorded DURING rush hour on Thursday night. Since a tornado warning was ISSUED, NWS forecasters Obviously believed That this storm was Capable of Producing rotation and funnel clouds.

2) Looking at the Damage path on the ground, does it applaud That the Damage was caused by a funnel cloud? Debris strewn in the Twisting or converging patterns, trees falling in opposite directions, and "Projectile" impacts are all Evidence of tornadoes. Evidence of straight-line winds (down from a micro burst or burst) Could Be Blown Debris things like All in the Same Direction, Debris divergent patterns or localized pockets of Damage. For more, or To Try Some amateur detection, check out the National Weather Service Office in LaCrosse, Wis.. 'S Post-Storm Damage Survey Guidelines. (Down: Well, corn fields to Give Researchers Clues in Forest Hills.)

Until we hear back from the meteorologists visiting the AFFECTED Areas, we'll just Have to amuse ourselves with the video from the event and aftermath of ITS. Here's a video Taken from a rooftop in Park Slope.

Regardless of the Final Determination, what is for mourning Is that the line of thunderstorms That Passed through the Greater New York City last night was part of a larger complex thunder storm known as a Squall line or bow echo. These types of storms commonly Produce very strong winds and tornadoes occasionaly CAN Produce is Their northern EDGES. Winds Reported Last Night in Brooklyn and Queens were routinely Greater Than 70mph, Especially in the northern "bow" of the storm, Which Passed through Park Slope, Kew Gardens, and has enthusiasm in Long Island Sound.

Readers, do you think a Tornado Touched Down in the city on Thursday night, or was it just an Especially severe storm? Share Your opinion - as well as your photos and videos - in the comments section below. We'll Provide Another update once we hear the official Ruling from the National Weather Service.