Metro

Brutal winds batter NYC, bring down scaffolding

Brutal gusts lashed the five boroughs Monday, flattening some scaffolding in the Bronx after the The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory in New York City.

The sidewalk shed that collapsed at around 3:30 p.m. on Casals Place in Co-Op City was reduced to a mess of tangled metal slats, bars and wooden boards, according to video from WABC-TV.

Investigators with the Department of Buildings — which issued a weather advisory for property owners, contractors and crane operators on Sunday night — were at the scene to determine the exact cause of the collapse and whether other factors contributed.

The heavy winds and rain also prompted officials to fully close the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at 2:30 p.m., hours after the upper level were cordoned off due to gusts.

The wind advisory for the Big Apple was in effect through at least 7 p.m., with the NWS predicting speeds could reach up to 55 mph.

A high-wind warning was also in effect until 10 p.m. for Suffolk County, where gusts could reach up to 60 mph, the NWS said.

In New Jersey, a tornado watch was issued as powerful winds toppled trees. Flood warnings were also in effect for parts of the Garden State.