A giant storm yesterday battered the Midwest with winds up to 81 mph, ripping off roofs and delaying hundreds of flights at Chicago.

The unusual system mesmerized meteorologists because of its size and because it had barometric pressure similar to a Category 3 hurricane, but with much less destructive power.

The storm is expected to hit the New York area today, but most high winds and rain will be south of the city, forecasters said.