On Friday, July 25th, a powerful thunderstorm barreled through New York City and parts of New Jersey, causing widespread power outages, halting air and rail travel, and toppling trees across the region.
Con Edison reported that nearly 21,000 customers were without electricity at the height of the storm, with the bulk of the outages concentrated in Staten Island and Brooklyn. Restoration efforts continued overnight, and by Saturday morning, most services had been restored. Roughly 255 customers in Staten Island and fewer than 600 in Brooklyn were still waiting for power to be restored.
Triggered by a cold front pushing into an area gripped by extreme heat, the storm brought wind gusts up to 65 mph, particularly in Staten Island and Newark. The system followed a heat wave that had driven heat index values to nearly 110 degrees in some areas.
Tree damage was widespread. Downed branches were reported from St. George to Bay Terrace on Staten Island. In Queens, a tree blocked a road in Flushing, while in Springfield, New Jersey, another fell onto a home. NJ Transit suspended service on the Morris and Essex Line due to debris on overhead wires.
Airports across the metro area, JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark, imposed temporary ground stops. LaGuardia Airport experienced nearly 90 cancellations, while system-wide delays exceeded 90 minutes.
Con Edison urged residents to stay away from any downed wires, warning they could still be energized. All utility workers are expected to carry proper identification when responding in the field.
Although the storm provided a short break from the oppressive heat, forecasters warned of a return to humid conditions and potential storms by Sunday. High temperatures nearing 90 degrees and heat index readings as high as 107 degrees are expected to continue into next week.
