Three EF1 tornadoes touched down in Western New York on Wednesday, Sept. 2, during a line of severe thunderstorms that swept across the region, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
The tornadoes were confirmed in Olcott in Niagara County, Shelby in Orleans County and Alexander in Genesee County within a 90-minute span Wednesday evening.
Here's what to know about the three tornadoes.
Olcott tornado
The tornado began around 6:07 p.m. near Olcott in northern Niagara County and lasted about a minute. It had estimated peak winds of 105 mph and traveled about 0.67 miles, according to a damage survey released Thursday by the National Weather Service.
A severe supercell thunderstorm produced a waterspout over Lake Ontario before moving onshore near Olcott.
The Weather Service said surveyors could not determine from the shoreline damage whether the waterspout itself moved onshore. However, survey crews found clear evidence of a tornado about a block inland along Main Street.
The tornado moved south-southeast across the Great Lakes Seaway Trail and into the southern portion of Krull Park, causing additional tree damage along Althea Street.
The most significant damage occurred at Krull Park, where mature pine trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado lifted just east of the park.
Shelby tornado
The tornado in southwestern Orleans County touched down at 6:45 p.m. in a field near Bigford Road in the town of Shelby and traveled east.
The EF1 tornado had estimated peak winds of 105 mph and remained on the ground for about two minutes before lifting, according to the Weather Service.
The tornado uprooted trees and downed large branches, some of which landed near residences along East Shelby Road and caused significant damage, the report said. One house sustained structural damage.
Alexander tornado
The Genesee County tornado began at 7:29 p.m. in Alexander and lasted six minutes as it traveled southeast for 3.78 miles to just north of the Genesee-Wyoming county line, according to the Weather Service.
The tornado had peak winds of 110 mph, making it the strongest of the three confirmed tornadoes. It also remained on the ground the longest and traveled the farthest.
Areas east of Route 20 were impacted, according to the survey report. Trees sustained heavy damage, and cornfields showed signs of crop damage.
Severe storms
The three tornadoes were part of a larger severe weather outbreak across Western and Central New York on Wednesday.
The Weather Service issued a tornado watch for 29 New York counties, including Niagara, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca and Wayne counties. Tornado warnings were issued for six counties, including those where the tornadoes touched down.
Tens of thousands of utility customers lost power during the storms, with most service restored by Thursday night.
Rochester Gas & Electric Corp. and New York State Electric & Gas said power was expected to be restored to remaining customers by late Friday.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: 3 EF1 tornadoes confirmed in New York after severe storms
