Sullivan County Experienced Tornado-Like Winds

Meteorologists ruled on Tuesday's storm in Sullivan County. While a tornado didn't touch town, 16 miles of the county experienced tornado-like conditions.

On Tuesday, a trained spotter reported a tornado in Eldred at 3:30 p.m. However, shortly after the National Weather Service from Binghampton said the twister in Sullivan County was incorrectly reported.

On Thursday evening, the National Weather Service confirmed a severe downburst with winds up to 95 mph impacted Sullivan County.

A downburst is a strong downdraft which causes damaging winds on or near the ground, according to the National Weather Service. The key difference between a tornado and a downburst is the way the wind flows. Winds fall into a tornado and out from a downburst.

Debris from a tornado often lays at angles, while debris from a downburst lays in a straight line, due to the curving of the inflow winds.

A powerful line of thunderstorms blasted through Sullivan County and surrounding areas between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. which included a downburst of straight-line winds.

The downburst impacted 16 miles of Sullivan County, knocking down trees in the Narrowsburg, Eldred and Forestburgh areas, according to the National Weather Service.

Weather officials confirmed four Hudson Valley counties were impacted by tornadoes on Tuesday, one that traveled across the Hudson River. Other areas saw macrobursts.

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