Strong gusts of wind across upstate New York on Monday were forceful enough to blast trees out of the ground and people off their feet, according to videos and reports.
Shocking footage captured Diane Miller, a resident of Hamburg, being swept off her feet as winds climbed to up to 70 mph when she opened the door of her daughter’s house, according to WKBW.
“It happened so quickly, I couldn’t believe it was happening,” Miller told the outlet. “Never in a million years did I think I would go flying in the air like a kite.”
As she opened the screen door, a gust knocked her down the steps and sent her careening into a bush, the clip showed.
“I opened her door, and the wind caught me, and I went flying,” she said.
“I’ve never experienced a storm with this much wind. That’s why I didn’t anticipate getting thrown in the air.”
Tyler Gall, a worker who installs shower jacuzzi systems, was also nearly hurt when wind caused a tree to collapse onto his work truck moments after he stepped outside of it in South Buffalo.
“I can’t help but think if I was standing in there, I would be crushed,” Gall told the outlet. “Don’t ever take a day for granted.”
“People underestimate the power of the wind,” he said.
“When you actually experience it, it’s hurricane force, it’s nothing to mess around with, I can tell you that.”
The powerful storm system walloped much of the Great Lakes and Northeast on Monday, placing upwards of 40 million people under various winter weather alerts.
A wind gust recorded at the Buffalo Airport on Monday reached 79 mph, nearly shattering the 82 mph record from Feb. 16, 1967, WIVB4 reported.
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