Tornado touches down in downtown Buffalo, causing damage on city's west side

WBFO-FM 88.7 | By Emyle Watkins

Published August 5, 2024 at 2:51 PM EDT

Extreme weather in the afternoon of August 5, 2024 caused downed trees and damage outside of Hutchinson Central Technical High School on South Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo.

Updated: Aug. 5, 3:27 p.m.

Extreme weather on Buffalo's West Side has damaged buildings, downed power lines, and caused traffic light outages.

National Weather Service Buffalo confirmed that a tornado touched down in Buffalo near Niagara Street and Carolina Street.

Buffalo Police say the event happened in the "vicinity of Niagara and Carolina streets at approximately 12:50 p.m." They also advise motorists to avoid the area.

Current street closures in the vicinity of Niagara and Carolina streets. pic.twitter.com/Tm65VZyYA1
— Buffalo Police Department (@BuffaloNYPolice) August 5, 2024

Crews assess damage on Niagara Street in downtown Buffalo after a possible tornado on August 5, 2024.

National Grid reports approximately 801 customers without power in Buffalo's West Village Historic District neighborhood as of 2:45 p.m. Power is expected to be restored by 3:45 p.m.

Local law clerk Sara Palprowitz says she was working from home when the tornado flew by.

“You hear trucks coming through here all the time, but it lasted a little bit longer,” she said. “And I was like, ‘that's weird.’ (I) stuck my fingers through the blinds, and there was just … a bunch of stuff flying through the air. And I turned around, I was like, there's a freaking tornado.”

The city says it will keep Niagara and Carolina streets closed as needed while debris is cleaned up.