The Latest: Storm thrashes NJ, NYC tornado warning expires

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — The Latest on damaging storms across the central United States (all times local):

10:45 p.m.

Powerful storms swept through northern New Jersey, downing trees and causing widespread power outages.

Police in Sussex County Tuesday night were investigating reports that a "possible tornado" damaged Lenape Valley Regional High School in Stanhope. The school has sent out an alert saying that school would be closed on Wednesday.

National Weather Service officials have not confirmed that a tornado touched down in the area.

In New York City, a tornado warning for Staten Island has since expired, although severe thunderstorm warnings remain in effect for the metro area.

9:50 p.m.

The National Weather Service says a tornado has been confirmed in eastern Pennsylvania where homes have been damaged but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Meteorologist Jonathan O'Brien says a damage assessment team will be sent to the area Wednesday to determine the strength of the twister that struck Tuesday.

O'Brien says Berks County emergency officials reported structural damage to about 20 properties, some of it significant. Emergency dispatchers in Berks and Chester counties earlier cited roof damage and some partial collapses in Caernarvon Township, which includes Morgantown.

The National Weather Service also has issued a tornado warning for parts of New York City and northern New Jersey until 10:15 p.m. Tuesday.

City officials advised people to immediately take shelter on lower floors and to stay away from windows.

8:20 p.m.

Officials say severe storms and several tornadoes have swept through Pennsylvania, damaging homes. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Emergency dispatchers in eastern Pennsylvania's Berks and Chester county reported roof damage and some partial collapses in Caernarvon Township, which includes Morgantown.

Some areas of the county, including downtown Reading, reported hail the size of a ping pong ball.

Tornadoes were reported in Lackawanna County in northeastern Pennsylvania, and in Indiana County in the western part of the state.

8 p.m.

The National Weather Service office in Kansas City says a large and dangerous tornado is on the ground on the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, and is urging residents to take shelter.

The NWS declared a tornado emergency for Kansas City, Kansas and said the twister was approaching Interstate 70 near the Kansas Speedway, a major shopping and entertainment area that is heavily populated.

The extent of the damage was not immediately known.

6:05 p.m.

An Ohio utility says thousands of customers remain without power after severe weather that included three powerful tornadoes swept the greater Dayton area.

Dayton Power & Light says about 300 employees working to restore power have been joined by about 400 people from out-of-state crews.

The utility said Tuesday that more than 50,000 people were still without power, down from 70,000 who were affected by Monday night's storms.

The utility said its first priority was restoring power to water facilities, hospitals, schools, and police and fire stations, and repairing downed lines. The effort was expected to last days.

Local hospitals say at least 130 people were injured, some of them during clean-up efforts Tuesday.

5:20 p.m.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that at least three tornadoes touched down Monday in Indiana.

Forecasters say a tornado that damaged about 75 homes in Pendleton and nearby Huntsville northeast of Indianapolis was an EF-2 that cut across nearly 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) and packed winds up to 130 mph (209 kph). One person was slightly injured.

Survey crews also determined that an EF-2 tornado touched down in northeastern Indiana's Grant County with winds of up to 125 mph (201 kph), destroying three barns and a garage.

A touchdown by an EF-1 tornado was also confirmed in eastern Indiana's Henry County.

Meteorologist Charles Mott with the weather service in Chicago says crews were assessing whether a tornado caused damage in the town of Dyer in northwestern Indiana.

5: 05 p.m.

Hospitals are reporting that as many as 130 people were injured after three powerful tornadoes struck Ohio amid a severe weather outbreak.

Despite the dozens of injuries that happened as storms pounded several communities late Monday, officials were aware of only one fatality.

The Kettering Health Network said Tuesday that it treated 79 people, including 15 people who were hospitalized.

Premier Health said it treated 50 people included 13 who were hospitalized.

Authorities say a single person, an 82-year-old man, was killed in Celina (suh-LEYE'-nuh) when winds pushed a parked car into his house.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in three hard-hit counties.

One person was also injured in Indiana following the storms.

This item has been corrected to show that the age of the man who was killed was 82, not 81.

3 p.m.

Officials say at least 75 homes were damaged when a twister touched down Monday evening in Pendleton, Indiana, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from Indianapolis.

Madison County Emergency Management spokesman Todd Harmeson says there were no serious injuries reported from the tornadoes there and in nearby Huntsville.

The weather service also found damage northeast of Huntsville that was caused by an EF2 tornado, a significant twister that packs wind speeds of 111-135 mph (179-217 kph).

Pendleton residents were urged to stay in their homes Tuesday because of the danger posed by downed trees, wires and utility poles.

Diane Maydak lives near Pendleton's Falls Park, where the storm uprooted trees and destroyed playground equipment.

She told The Herald Bulletin "you absolutely could not believe the amount of damage here."

2:30 p.m.

Forecasters have confirmed at least three severe-strength tornadoes touched down in Ohio.

The National Weather Service says a tornado classified as an EF3 hit Trotwood just west of Dayton, with another touchdown just east of Dayton in Greene County. Forecaster Myron Padgett says it's possible the same tornado went back up and touched down a second time. Both had winds of 140 mph (225.3 kph).

A third EF3 tornado hit Celina, but its speed is still being surveyed.

An EF3 is considered a strong tornado that does severe damage, rated on a scale of EF0 through EF5.

A slew of smaller tornadoes hit other areas in Ohio including two in Pickaway County.

One person was killed and at least 60 people were injured by storms that swept through western Ohio.

1:45 p.m.

Forecasters are worried about major thunderstorms moving through northeastern Kansas and into the Kansas City area during rush hour.

The National Weather Service expected severe storms Tuesday afternoon and evening with damaging winds and hail for Topeka and Lawrence in Kansas and the Kansas City. The Weather Service also warned that tornadoes were possible.

Weather Service meteorologist Sarah Atkins in the Kansas City area said, "Unfortunately, the ingredients are there" for severe storms, including tornadoes.

Atkins said the Weather Service also is worried about flash flooding, particularly along U.S. 36 across northern Missouri.

Strong thunderstorms that raked eastern Nebraska and western Iowa Monday night dumped heavy rain and, in southwest Omaha, piles of hail that left some motorists temporarily stranded.

1:10 p.m.

An Ohio woman who survived a tornado outbreak in Ohio says she barricaded herself and her son in a closet as winds tore her apartment building's roof off.

Erica Bohannon, of Trotwood, says she emerged from the closet Tuesday to find herself looking at the sky through the space where her ceiling had been.

Bohannon says she had to kick her way past debris to get out. She says she felt like there was nothing she could do to protect herself from the force of the storm.

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF3 tornado with winds up to 140 mph (225.3 kph) hit Trotwood.

Authorities say Monday's severe weather killed an 82-year-old man in Celina and injured dozens.

This item has been corrected to show that the age of the man who was killed was 82, not 81.

12:20 p.m.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has identified two people who were killed when a tornado ripped through a central Oklahoma community over the weekend.

Spokeswoman Amy Elliott said Tuesday that 54-year-old Timothy Solis and 47-year-old Bridget Brockwell were killed when a tornado struck the Skyview Estates trailer park late Saturday night in El Reno, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Oklahoma City. Elliott says the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries to both victims.

El Reno officials say more than a dozen families were displaced when their homes were damaged in the tornado, which the National Weather Service says was an EF3 tornado with wind speeds of up to 165 mph (266 kph).

The tornado also destroyed a motel and damaged several other nearby structures.

12:10 p.m.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down in a central Indiana town where dozens of homes were damaged.

The weather service said Tuesday that a storm survey team determined that a tornado caused Monday's damage in the Madison County town of Pendleton, just northeast of Indianapolis. The storm's intensity and the length of its path haven't been determined.

Monday evening's storm damaged at least 75 homes in Pendleton, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis, and the nearby community of Huntsville.

No serious injuries were reported in the area or other parts of the state.

Pendleton residents were urged to remain in their homes Tuesday morning because of dangers posed by fallen trees, downed power lines and utility poles that were also blocking roads.

12 p.m.

The fire chief in a small western Ohio city says besides one person killed and seven injured, as many as 90 homes have been damaged by apparent tornadoes that pounded through the region.

Celina (Suh-LEYE'-nuh) Chief Douglas Wolters estimates that 40 of the homes have significant damage. The mayor has said some were knocked off their foundations. Wolters says most people are staying with family or friends, but some went to shelter in nearby Coldwater.

Wolters says 82-year-old Melvin Dale Hanna died after a parked vehicle was blown into his home as he slept.

Mayor Jeff Hazel says there are "areas that truly look like a war zone" in the city of some 10,000 people, 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Dayton.

Dayton area hospitals have reported at least 60 injuries since a wave of severe storms swept through.

This item has been corrected to show that the age of the man who was killed was 82, not 81. It also corrects the spelling of his last name to Hanna, not Hannah.

11:25 a.m.

The National Weather Service says a wave of severe storms on Memorial Day included a tornado touching down near Boise, Idaho and eight weak tornadoes on Colorado's northeastern plains.

Thunderstorms that produced the Colorado tornadoes dropped hail as large as tennis balls, with pea-sized hail reported in parts of the Denver area.

No damage was reported.

But in Ohio, severe weather that included apparent tornadoes killed an 82-year-old man and injured dozens of people.

There was considerable damage to homes in Indiana as well.

This item has been corrected to show that the age of the man who was killed was 82, not 81.

10:40 a.m.

Authorities say an 82-year-old man has died after a vehicle slammed into his home as apparent tornadoes pounded through western Ohio.

Celina (suh-LYE'-nuh) Mayor Jeff Hazel tells reporters the man was among at least seven injured in the city some 80 miles (128.75 kilometers) northwest of Dayton. He says up to 40 homes were damaged Monday night, with some houses moved off their foundations by the storms.

He says first responders rescued some people from their homes overnight and were making a third sweep Tuesday to check for anyone else who might be trapped.

Hazel says: "It is devastating."

Elizabeth Long, spokeswoman for the Kettering Health Network serving the Dayton region, says about 35 people were treated for storm-related cuts, bumps and bruises at the system's four emergency department.

This item has been corrected to show that the age of the man who was killed was 82, not 81.

9:20 a.m.

Ohio's governor plans to visit communities hard-hit by apparent tornadoes in the Dayton area. A spokesman for Republican Gov. Mike DeWine says a schedule will be released later Tuesday.

Among areas he plans to visit is Trotwood, an older Dayton suburb of some 24,500 people. Mayor Mary McDonald reports extensive, "catastrophic damage." She says no deaths or serious injuries have been reported: "We're blessed for that."

She said five busloads of displaced residents have been taken to a church offering temporary shelter while the American Red Cross assesses needs. She says the community is getting a lot of help and support from federal, state, and local agencies, adding that "we need that level of support."

Trotwood's Hara Arena, idled in recent years after decades as a popular sports and entertainment venue, sustained "a huge amount of damage."

8:50 a.m.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says preliminary storm reports show that 52 tornadoes may have touched down Monday across eight states as waves of severe weather swept across the nation's mid-section.

A tally of storm reports posted online by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, shows that 14 suspected tornadoes touched down in Indiana, 10 in Colorado and nine in Ohio.

Six suspected tornadoes were reported in Iowa, five in Nebraska, four in Illinois, three in Minnesota, while one suspected tornado was reported in Idaho in the West.

No fatalities were immediately reported.

Patrick Marsh is the Storm Prediction Center's warning coordination meteorologist. He says National Weather Service crews were heading to the affected areas to determine if tornadoes caused the damage, or high winds.

8:45 a.m.

The police chief of a small Ohio city says overnight storms severely damaged the local high school, flipped cars and destroyed some houses.

Brookville chief Doug Jerome said Tuesday that at least half the homes in a single subdivision sustained serious damage. But Jerome says no fatalities were reported in the city, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Dayton, and only three minor injuries.

Jerome said the storm took off part of the roof at Brookville High School, tossed some cars into houses and ripped up numerous large trees.

A series of apparent tornadoes caused extensive damage in Dayton and communities north and northwest of the city, and also destroyed homes in Indiana.

Actor Rob Lowe, a Dayton native, tweeted "Praying for my hometown" on Tuesday.

8 a.m.

Authorities in Dayton, Ohio, say a series of apparent tornadoes caused a few minor injuries but no reported fatalities within the city.

Dayton Fire Chief Jeffrey Payne called that "pretty miraculous" during a Tuesday morning briefing. Payne attributed the good news to people heeding early warnings about the storm.

Residents say sirens started going off around 10:30 p.m. Monday ahead of the storm.

Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley urged residents to check on neighbors, especially those who are housebound.

Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein says a boil advisory has been issued for residents after the storms cut power to Dayton's pump stations. She says generators are being rushed in.

The storms caused severe damage in communities northwest of Dayton, where officials were still assessing damage, and also damaged at least 75 homes in Indiana.

7:15 a.m.

The president has tweeted his support for tornado survivors in Oklahoma, where two people were killed and 29 were injured by a twister that struck a motel and mobile home park over the weekend.

Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday morning that he spoke with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt from Japan and told him that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the "federal government are fully behind him and the great people of Oklahoma."

6:25 a.m.

Emergency crews are going door-to-door checking homes in Indiana after damaging storms spawned apparent tornadoes in the state and in Ohio.

Madison County Emergency Management spokesman Todd Harmeson says least 75 homes were damaged in Pendleton and the nearby community of Huntsville. No serious injuries were reported in the area or other parts of the state where possible tornadoes hit Monday night.

Madison County authorities say roads in Pendleton, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis, are blocked with trees, downed power lines and utility poles. Pendleton High School is open as a shelter.

The National Weather Service says a survey team will investigate damage in Madison County and possibly in Henry County. Another team may survey damage in Tippecanoe County.

6 a.m.

The energy company serving the Dayton, Ohio, area says at least 64,000 customers are without power following a series of apparent tornadoes.

Dayton Power & Light said in a tweet early Tuesday it was undertaking a "multi-day restoration effort" and urged customers to make emergency backup plans.

The National Weather Service reported earlier more than 70,000 outages across Ohio, affecting more than 5 million people.

The service confirmed Monday night that a "large and dangerous tornado" hit near Trotwood, Ohio, outside of Dayton.

The storm tore roofs off several apartment buildings in Trotwood.

Multiple schools are closed or starting late around Dayton following the storm damage.

2:30 a.m.

The National Weather Service says there are more 70,000 power outages across the state of Ohio, affecting over 5 million people.

The service tweeted Tuesday morning that to send reports of outages via social media or email if possible.

It also says the tornado threat has "exited our area of responsibility."

The service confirmed Monday night that a "large and dangerous tornado" hit near Trotwood, Ohio, outside of Dayton. ___

1:45 a.m.

An Indiana town was heavily damaged by storms, including reports of two tornados.

WRTV-TV reports that Madison County Emergency Management spokesman Todd Harmeson said Tuesday morning that, "We do not know at this time if this was a tornado, straight-line winds or what the cause was" of damage in Pendleton. He says there are several videos floating around that show funnel clouds but that the National Weather Service will make that determination.

Harmeson says residents should stay indoors due to energized downed powerlines on the ground. "We just believe at this time it is not safe," he said. He says an estimated 4,000 people are without power.

Pendleton residents being evacuated can go to the Pendleton High School cafeteria for shelter.

Pendleton is 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis.

12:23 a.m.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is using snow plows to remove debris off an Ohio highway after a "large and dangerous" tornado hit the area late Monday.

Transportation spokesman Matt Bruning said its crews are using several plows to scrape debris off to the side of southbound Interstate 75, trying to get the highway reopened as soon as possible. "We'll do a more thorough cleaning after we get lanes opened," he told the Associated Press via text early Tuesday. He said tow trucks eventually will have to deal with damaged vehicles along the roadway, too. He said other crews are also clearing debris northwest of Dayton in Mercer and Darke counties. Trying to clear the debris in the middle of the night is a difficult task, complicated by darkness and downed power lines, Bruning said.

The National Weather Service confirmed Monday night that a "large and dangerous tornado" hit near Trotwood, Ohio, outside of Dayton.

This story has been corrected to show the tornado struck Ohio on Monday night, not Sunday.