83 MPH Wind Gust Recorded On Long Island; 12K Lose Power

LONG ISLAND, NY — More than 12,000 Long Islanders were without power Thursday morning and that number will likely rise as wind gusts up to 65 mph continue pound the region. A high wind warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday for the entire island.

"Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines," the National Weather Service says. "Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles."

A wind gust of 83 mph was recorded in Stony Brook at 1:01 a.m. Thursday. Eatons Neck and Orient have seen maximum gusts of 65 mph and 59 mph, respectively. In Nassau, the highest wind gust overnight of 49 mph was in North Merrick.

A Sayville elementary school will open late Thursday because of a power outage. A massive fire also tore through numerous homes in Ocean Bay Park on Fire Island early Thursday. Several fire departments from the mainland were on the scene to help battle the wind-whipped flames.