A rare tornado has hit a beachfront district of the New York City borough of Queens, damaging homes and throwing debris into the air.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a severe weather warning, as winds reached up to 70mph (113 km/h).
The tornado hit Breezy Point on Queens' Rockaway Peninsula before sweeping out to sea. There have been no reports of any injuries.
But it forced the suspension of the US Open semi-final tennis match.
New York City police ordered the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows to be evacuated as a tornado was expected.
Witnesses reported seeing trees and electricity pylons uprooted and picnic benches and waste bins being thrown into the air. There were some reports of vehicles being lifted up.
At the Breezy Point Surf Club, the storm tore off roofs of cabanas, scattering debris around.
"We were all scared. The windows on the whole building broke, the lights went out... Everything was shaking. It was really crazy," club employee Caitlin Walsh was quoted as saying by Reuters.
New Yorkers were lashed with heavy rains brought by the storm.
"I was showing videos of tornadoes to my 4-year-old on my phone, and two minutes later, it hit," local resident Peter Maloney told AP.
"Just like they always say, it sounded like a train."
An NWS meteorologist later confirmed the weather pattern seen in Queens was a tornado, the Associated Press reports.
Video posted on You Tube shows a large, dark tornado funnelling out of the skyline and throwing debris into the air.
The NWS said thunderstorms were likely to affect parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania over Saturday night, with more tornadoes possible.
