Tornado tears through downtown Buffalo, sends debris flying

Damage was reported close to City Hall after a waterspout roared ashore early Monday afternoon and tracked directly through downtown Buffalo, New York.

Buffalo is known for its extreme weather, particularly in the winter when feet of lake-effect snow can pile up in a matter of hours. However, another lake-induced weather phenomenon blew through the city Monday and left a trail of damage in its wake.

A waterspout over Lake Erie spun ashore at 12:45 p.m. EDT Monday near Interstate 190 and caused damage less than a half mile north of City Hall before it lifted six minutes later near the Kensington Expressway.

A quick damage survey by the National Weather Service determined the tornado was an EF1 with maximum winds of 90 mph and was on the ground for 1.4 miles.

Waterspouts form differently than tornadoes that develop over land. However, when waterspouts make landfall, they are reclassified as tornadoes. Although these whirlwinds are generally less powerful than tornadoes linked to severe thunderstorms, they can still be dangerous.

No serious injuries were reported after Monday's tornado in Buffalo, but several buildings were damaged and large tree limbs were snapped.

Social media was flooded with videos that showed debris being lofted high in the air before the tornado dissipated.

Monday wasn't the first time this summer a tornado has touched down in western New York. A severe weather event on July 10 spawned multiple tornadoes across the state, including an EF1 16 miles southeast of Buffalo and an EF2 18 miles south of the city.