Community Corner

Did Lightning Take Down This Tree?

That's what Syosset resident thinks after storm.

Thursday afternoon's storm entered and left Syosset quickly, but not before leaving one resident with a maple tree on her house.

Kathy Glickman got the call at work from neighbors, and returned home at 3:45 p.m. to survey the damage. She was told the tree went down between 2:30 p.m.-3 p.m.

"My neighbors said an ominous black cloud came right over my house like a mini-tornado," Glickman said.

Find out what's happening in Syossetwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The storm didn't stay long anywhere, as according to the National Weather Service it was moving east at a brisk 45 mph with estimated winds in excess of 70 mph. But from looking at the way the tree was split in half, Glickman has a different idea of what took it down.

"They said wind, but it looks like a lightning strike to me," she said.

Find out what's happening in Syossetwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Nassau County Police Department officers and Syosset Fire Department volunteers responded to the scene. Fire officials went through the house and concluded that there was no structural damage.

Thursday evening Glickman was still trying to get a tree service to show up for an estimate on removal. But she added that despite the fire department conclusion she was staying elsewhere Thursday night, as she feared another storm may take out the other half of the tree.

As of 10 a.m. Friday the Long Island Power Authority was reporting 11 Syosset homes without electricity. 


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