Erie County Tornado City of Buffalo

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
433 PM EDT Mon Aug 5 2024

...NWS Damage Survey for 8/5/2024 Tornado Event...

.City of Buffalo Tornado...

Rating:                 EF-1
Estimated Peak Wind:    90 mph
Path Length /statute/:  1.4 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   300 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             August 5, 2024
Start Time:             12:45 PM ET
Start Location:         City of Buffalo, Erie County, NY
Start Lat/Lon:          42.8894 / -78.8940

End Date:               August 5, 2024
End Time:               12:51 PM ET
End Location:           City of Buffalo, Erie County, NY
End Lat/Lon:            42.8930 / -78.8675

The National Weather Service received multiple reports, pictures,
and videos of a tornadic circulation starting west of the Niagara
River, through the Lower West Side of the City of Buffalo, and on
the north side of Downtown Buffalo. A National Weather Service
storm survey team assessed the damage and confirmed a tornado that
began at the shore of the Niagara River near the south end of
LaSalle Park and the I-190/Niagara Street interchange.
Multiple large hardwood tree limbs were snapped along the exit
ramp and Carolina Street. The first damage to buildings was noted
near Carolina Street and Niagara Street with roof air conditioners
being removed and the loss of significant roofing material from a
second structure. This roofing was deposited two blocks away on
Whitney Place. Numerous tree limbs were broken and trunks snapped
from Niagara Street, across Prospect Avenue and Whitney Place.
Several chimneys were also toppled from homes on Prospect Avenue
and Whitney Place. Continuing eastward, multiple trees were
snapped in Johnson Park. Scattered tree limb damage and the
deposit of upstream material occurred as the circulation crossed
Delaware Avenue and continued east along Tupper Street. The
final damage was noted near the intersection of Tupper Street
and Oak Street, where two cars were overturned and some minor
roof damage was noted to a structure.

Based upon the large amount of large tree branches broken but
limited amounts of healthy tree trunks snapped, the moving of
several dozen rooftop air conditioning units, and the loss of
roofing material on a couple of multi-level or multi-family
units, the tornado has been preliminarily rated as an EF-1 with
maximum estimated wind speed of 90 mph.

The National Weather Service extends its thanks to the City of
Buffalo Fire Department and City of Buffalo Engineering
Department for their substantial assistance with today`s survey.


EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0.....65 to 85 mph
EF1.....86 to 110 mph
EF2.....111 to 135 mph
EF3.....136 to 165 mph
EF4.....166 to 200 mph
EF5.....>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS
Storm Data.