(Adds cancellation of warning)

NEW YORK, Aug 15 (Reuters) - New Yorkers were temporarily urged to take shelter on Friday due to a tornado warning but it was quickly rescinded, officials said.

New York City skies were covered with dark and swirling clouds, leading the National Weather Service to issue a tornado warning for the Bronx, just north of Manhattan. City officials told people to take cover in the low floors of their buildings.

The warning was downgraded to a severe thunderstorm warning after a few minutes.

"The thunderstorm with rotation has moved out of the warned area," The National Weather Service said.

New York City periodically gets hit by tornadoes but they are rarely deadly as in the Midwest and South of the United States. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Bill Trott)

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