A strong storm that ripped across Syosset on Friday, June 26 produced powerful gales that barreled and swirled down Evelyn Lane, causing destruction along the street. The most severe damage was inflicted upon the home of the Castins, a family of three who have been temporarily displaced in a nearby apartment while the house is demolished and rebuilt.

While other areas of Syosset did not bear many traces of the storm, Evelyn Lane was notably impacted, scattered with branches, debris and other signs of a major windstorm. The local branch of the National Weather Service declared that there were no tornadoes, yet the wake of destruction left by the freakish elements mimicked the characteristics of a cyclone closely, leaving homeowner Michael Castin theorizing that there actually could have been one. Damage was sporadic and random, leaving some properties untouched and others damaged.

"I feel it was [a tornado]," said Castin, who works at the Syosset Ford dealership, "and some of the people [in the neighborhood] said they actually saw a tornado."

Neither Castin, his wife nor his adult son were home when, shortly after 4 p.m., heavy gusts uprooted an 80-foot maple tree in their yard, causing it to tip and crash onto their roof. The force of the hit buckled the roof, collapsing it into the second floor ceiling, and making the entire house structurally unsound.

The tree that smashed Castin's roof had roots firmly planted at least 10 feet deep, said Castin. Other trees also proved susceptible, as one plunged into the garage of a neighbor two doors down, and another crushed a parked car. Yet, houses directly adjacent to those most heavily damaged were left unscathed.

No one was more affected, however, than the Castins, who learned of the destruction after Mrs. Castin arrived home from work, in mid-storm, a mere 10 minutes after the incident occurred. The Syosset Fire Department and the Second Precinct Police were called to the scene.

The family's primary concern upon their frightening discovery was the retrieval of two pets from the house, an African Gray parrot and a cat, which both turned out fine. The fire department would not admit the Castins inside without guaranteeing their safety first.

The fire department used its specialized technical response team and, according to First Assistant Chief Nick Favata, "stabilized the house, therefore preventing any further collapse."

The two pets were finally recovered at approximately 11 p.m. that evening. At that point, the Castins were permitted to retrieve other items from the house - the "things you take for granted," said Castin.

Favata said that if the house hadn't been immediately stabilized, according to Town of Oyster Bay law, it would have had to have been demolished with its contents still inside, the pets notwithstanding. "Maybe that house wasn't saved, but at least the contents were retrieved," said Favata.

Castin remains curious as to whether there's any chance a tornado was involved in the damage, despite the National Weather Service's original statement. He emphasized both "the fact that it [the storm] bounced up and down like a yo-yo" and "the fact that it was so selective."

What else could cause this type of destruction? "I don't know of any other weather phenomenon," said Castin. No representative from the National Weather Service could be reached to address his question.

The Castins, who believe it will take four to six months to rebuild, are appreciative of the aid they received on the night of the storm, and the support they've received ever since. "The neighbors were fantastic," said Castin. "We would like to extend our thanks to everybody - the neighbors, strangers, the fire department and the police department."