The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for eastern Hudson County in New Jersey and New York County aka Manhattan, in New York. A severe thunderstorm has been moving from around Jersey City and Bayonne northeastward toward Manhattan. There are reports of a funnel cloud. When funnel clouds reach the ground they are considered tornadoes. If a tornado is spotted seek shelter immediately, preferrably in an interior room or basement. Stay away from windows and flying debris. Nickel-sized hail is also possible. Gothamist can attest that nickel-sized hail is painful.
Funnel cloud photo from 880 WCBS
UPDATE 2:55pm: baton down the hatches! Neil has a window that faces the river, and he says another storm is rolling in! Whoa-- major thunder-- Thompson just hit the ceiling!






I heard the crazy roll of thunder 30 minutes ago - scary!
Yeah, I swear it was right outside my building... my coworker joked that it hit one of the gravestones in the Trinity cemetary. Yeeeesh.
from my 40th flr office i saw a funnel cloud, but alas, it did not become a tornado... pretty freaky shit... sadly, my camera is charging and i have no pix :^(
Nice Thunderstorm here in Queens. Very Loud and sounds close.
Heard the thunderclap, too... 23 floor above Penn Station, those things are scary.
Oh, well... green skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face!
Holy shit!!!!!! it's cumming!!! ugghhh! it's cumming down all over me!!! rain mixed with hail. aaaiieieeeee!!!! glub glub.
This one seems less dramatic but a little more serious... very dark up here...
midtown east is dark dark dark.... creepy 'cause the lampposts aren't on, and stores don't have their night lights on...
Who's Thompson?
Great pics of this morning's funnel cloud at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1634982/posts
I usually love it when funnel clouds release their fury, it's a great day for the video cameras!
empire state building tip has been struck at least 3 times in the last 20 minutes. i have a clear view from union square offices. incredibly dramatic.
This is when we midwestern transplants get to roll our eyes and mutter how east coast folk are pansies... ;)
The only reason I know what to do in case of a tornado is because I spent a few summers with relatives out in Wisconsin as a kid/teenager. One thing they neglected to tell me is they test the "tornado siren" at noon on Saturdays, leading me to wonder why an air raid siren was going off.
Never did see a funnel cloud all the times I was out there and they never took me cow tipping.
it's "batten" down the hatches.
Um, Janice, if it's "cumming" all over you, it ain't hail.