( CNN ) -- An EF1-scale tornado briefly touched down Thursday in Bridgeport , Connecticut , knocking out windows and ripping signs and awnings off buildings , the National Weather Service confirmed Friday . With winds at an estimated 100 mph , the twister took only about five minutes to cause the damage in downtown Bridgeport , eyewitnesses said . The areas affected included several streets near Interstate 95 , the National Weather Service said . `` In seconds it just turned black , and you ca n't see across the street . There was foggy , crazy hard rain , '' said eyewitness Beth Bowman , who was in a downtown bookstore when the twister barreled through . After five minutes of darkness , the weather cleared and the sun came out , Bowman said . The damage from the brief but powerful storm included uprooted trees and overturned U.S. postal boxes , she said . The Bridgeport Police Department said the storm caused significant damage . CNN Radio 's Matt Cherry and CNN 's Kristen Hamill contributed to this report .
Weather service confirms EF-1 tornado struck Bridgeport . Damage seen on several streets . Police say twister caused significant damage .