Across the suburb, 12 people were taken to hospital with minor injuries after the storm cell, described as a mini-tornado, upturned cars and smashed glass ceilings. Storm damage at Hornsby after what may have been a tornado went through the area. Credit:Ben Rushton Trains on the north shore suffered major delays after the North Shore and Northern line and the Central Coast and Newcastle line were closed earlier in the afternoon. Peak-hour traffic was also heavy on the Pacific Highway at Hornsby, which was reduced to one lane near Bridge Street because of a tree over the road and a power blackout affecting traffic lights. SMH reader Matthew said the weather went "crazy" for about 15 seconds. "It was a mini tornado. It was so loud we all ran away from the windows."

A Sky News meteorologist reported winds may have reached up to 90km/h. Storm damage at Hornsby after what may have been a tornado went through the area. Credit:Ben Rushton Fire and Rescue NSW said people in Westfield suffered minor injuries after a roof over Event Cinemas collapsed. Glass panels also came off an atrium-style roof in another part of the centre. "When the first crews arrived, they saw quite a bit of storm damage,” a spokesman said. Tree collapse: a car was destroyed on Station Street. Credit:James Frawley, smh.com.au reader

“As they worked their way into the shopping centre, they came across a number of people with minor injuries from debris and glass. Then they concentrated on commencing the search and rescue of the cinema." The Ambulance Service said crews were sent to the shopping centre, the library and the railway station. At the library a 19-year-old woman was treated for shock, and at the station, where a demountable building had flipped, five people were treated, including a man who sustained multiple cuts to his head. Six patients were treated at the shopping centre for minor injuries. A 50-year-old woman had cuts to her head and neck after being hit by shards of glass. Cars overturned in a Hornsby car park after the storm cell went through. Credit:Schruti Khanna, smh.com.au reader State Emergency Service spokeswoman Sue Pritchard said the SES received 20 calls in about 20 minutes from residents around Hornsby about 3pm. The Bureau of Meteorology had confirmed to her a ‘‘mini-tornado’’ had hit the area. Dozens of people were evacuated from centre and people who were in the cinema managed to leave before the roof came down, Fire and Rescue said. The centre later stopped evacuations on the advice of emergency services. People remain in the centre, which is not trading and operating on emergency power.

Other parts of Sydney were also struck by violent weather. Passengers aboard the Manly ferry contended with gale force winds and heavy seas as the low pressure system made its way south. Credit:nick moir James Frawley, who works at Hornsby Shire Council, said the storm cell ripped off roofing from buildings and sent it flying into windows, smashing one at the council offices. "It powered into us like a solid punch and wrapped around this building and the TAFE, on the old Pacific Highway." Glass panels torn from the roof of Hornsby Westfield by strong winds. Photo used with permission from dwina champion (@para_dwins) on Twitter. He said the cell cut a narrow swath from Edgeworth David Avenue in Waitara, across the Westfield and railway station and over to the council building and neighbouring TAFE.

"Many of the trees in the TAFE car park have come down on top of cars." A Brushbox also came down in Station Street, crushing cars, he said. Another witness, James, who lives near the shopping centre, told ABC radio he heard a big roaring sound just before 3pm. ‘‘I wasn’t really sure what it was, it sounded like a cyclone or something,’’ he said. ‘‘So I ran to my back window and I could see all this debris spiralling up in the air like rubbish and stuff. "It went over pretty quickly but shortly after I just heard nothing but sirens.’’

A picture posted on Twitter showed the demountable building at the train station blown off its foundations. Loading The last reading from the closest weather station in Terrey Hills recorded winds of 52km/h at 2.06pm.