Downtown Buffalo was just hit by a tornado, National Weather Service confirms [Video]

Buffalo, N.Y. — A tornado struck downtown Buffalo early this afternoon, investigators have confirmed.

The tornado hit Buffalo at 12:49 p.m., the National Weather Service announced in a preliminary storm report. It touched down near Niagara Street and Caroline Street, just a few blocks from the city’s waterfront, the weather service said.

The strong storm damaged buildings and left hundreds without power, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced on X. Streets are closed around Niagara and Caroline streets, the Buffalo Police Department reported.

So far, no injuries have been reported, police said.

“It surprised everyone,” Poloncarz said at a news conference.

As of 3:30 p.m., 2,578 customers were without power in Buffalo, according to National Grid.

Poloncarz said a nursing facility damaged in the storm was considering moving patients, the Associated Press reported.

A weather service statement said the tornado was preliminarily rated as an EF-1 with a maximum estimated wind speed of 90 mph based on the damage to trees, “the moving of several dozen rooftop air …