TORNADO THROUGH POTSDAM? PROBABLY NOT, BUT CERTAINLY POWERFUL—National Weather Service Meteorologist Eric Evanson told 99 News the massive thunderstorm that brought winds up to 80 miles-an-hour starting about 3:15 Tuesday afternoon was caused by the convergence of hot and cold air masses in the atmosphere that caused a severe pressure gradient. Certified military storm spotter Rick O'Hanlon recorded a record-high 95 degrees with a heat index of about 103 degrees just before the storm hit. The storm was powerful enough to blow the roofs off Evans and White Hardware and Sergi's Restaurant in downtown Potsdam. Damage is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Crews will be working for days to remove debris. About 14-hundred National Grid customers remain without power in St. Lawrence County as of this update.

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