July 27, 2012

Almost 300,000 homes and businesses lost power and hundreds of flights were canceled as severe thunderstorms with rain, hail and strong winds swept through Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

The first tornado was reported in south-central New York State around 4 pm local time (8 pm GMT), where it ripped roofs from buildings and trapped people in their vehicles. The storm then moved to New York City and Philadelphia, followed by southern New England.

By 7 pm, power cuts had left more than 300,000 customers in the three states without electricity and at least 842 flights had been canceled in the US according to Bloomberg. Strong winds were downing trees and power lines, causing fires. Floods were reported as the storms rolled east. In Williamstown, West Virginia, 3.15 centimeters of rain fell in just 25 minutes.

No serious injuries have been reported at this point.

The storms formed along the front of cold air that stretched from New York to northern Texas.

A storm cloud begins to dump rain as it passes over the Brooklyn borough of New York, July 26, 2012 (Reuters / Lucas Jackson)

Storm clouds move overhead in the Bronx July 26, 2012 in New York (AFP Photo / Don Emmert)

Jessica Stansfield poses for a photo below an enormous uprooted tree after the town was hit by a tornado in Elmira, New York, July 26, 2012 (Reuters / Adam Fenster)

Downed power lines and trees are pictured on a street after the town was hit by a tornado in Elmira, New York, July 26, 2012 (Reuters / Adam Fenster)

Part of a roof lies on a sidewalk after the town was hit by a tornado in Elmira, New York July 26, 2012 (Reuters / Adam Fenster)

A car drives past fallen trees on a street in Elmira, New York July 26, 2012 (Reuters / Adam Fenster)

Downed power lines and trees are pictured on a street in Elmira, New York July 26, 2012 (Reuters / Adam Fenster)