Someone I know who lived in Freehold, NJ described what was a possible tornado last night in Monmouth County, NJ. I did observe on Doppler radar what is known as a "velocity couplet" last night around 10:05 p.m. which is indicative of rotation from either a rotating mesocyclone or a tornado. There were several storm damage reports including a 63 mph gust of wind at the Mercer County Airport. Other reports from the NWS office in Mt. Holly are below.
0852 PM HAIL TITUSVILLE 40.31N 74.88W
07/28/2012 E1.00 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0911 PM TSTM WND GST TRENTON AIRPORT 40.28N 74.81W
07/28/2012 M63 MPH MERCER NJ ASOS
63 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST AT TRENTON AIRPORT.
0920 PM HAIL PRINCETON 40.35N 74.66W
07/28/2012 E0.75 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0922 PM HAIL LAWRENCE TWP 40.29N 74.73W
07/28/2012 E0.75 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0923 PM MARINE TSTM WIND DEWEY BEACH 38.70N 75.08W
07/28/2012 M43 MPH SUSSEX DE WEATHER FLOW
0926 PM HAIL PENNINGTON 40.33N 74.79W
07/28/2012 E1.00 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0927 PM HAIL PRINCETON JUNCTION 40.32N 74.62W
07/28/2012 E0.88 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0929 PM HAIL PRINCETON JUNCTION 40.32N 74.62W
07/28/2012 E0.88 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0929 PM HAIL LAWRENCE TWP 40.29N 74.73W
07/28/2012 E0.75 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0933 PM TSTM WND DMG HIGHTSTOWN 40.27N 74.53W
07/28/2012 MERCER NJ PUBLIC
LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN
0933 PM TSTM WND DMG HIGHTSTOWN 40.27N 74.53W
07/28/2012 MERCER NJ PUBLIC
LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN
0936 PM HAIL PRINCETON JUNCTION 40.32N 74.62W
07/28/2012 E1.00 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
0938 PM TSTM WND DMG HIGHTSTOWN 40.27N 74.53W
07/28/2012 MERCER NJ PUBLIC
TREES DOWN
0953 PM HAIL PRINCETON JUNCTION 40.32N 74.62W
07/28/2012 E0.88 INCH MERCER NJ PUBLIC
TIME EST..MAY HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN 930-938P.
1000 PM TSTM WND DMG EAST FREEHOLD 40.27N 74.24W
07/28/2012 MONMOUTH NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
MULTIPLE LARGE TREES DOWN
1010 PM HAIL MARLBORO 40.32N 74.25W
07/28/2012 E0.50 INCH MONMOUTH NJ PUBLIC
1010 PM MARINE TSTM WIND BUOY 44009 38.46N 74.70W
07/28/2012 M40 MPH ANZ470 NJ NDBC BUOY
1011 PM HAIL VINCENTOWN 39.93N 74.75W
07/28/2012 E0.75 INCH BURLINGTON NJ PUBLIC
1012 PM TSTM WND DMG EWING TWP 40.26N 74.80W
07/28/2012 MERCER NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE DOWN I-95SB EXIT2
1015 PM HAIL MARLBORO 40.32N 74.25W
07/28/2012 E0.75 INCH MONMOUTH NJ PUBLIC
1019 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 W FREEHOLD 40.26N 74.36W
07/28/2012 MONMOUTH NJ PUBLIC
TREES DOWN
1019 PM TSTM WND DMG FREEHOLD 40.26N 74.28W
07/28/2012 MONMOUTH NJ PUBLIC
TREES DOWN
1020 PM TSTM WND DMG LAWRENCE 40.27N 74.68W
07/28/2012 MERCER NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE DOWN RT206ATPRINCETON PIKE
1023 PM TSTM WND DMG FREEHOLD 40.26N 74.28W
07/28/2012 MONMOUTH NJ PUBLIC
LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN
1025 PM LIGHTNING NORTH WILDWOOD 39.00N 74.80W
07/28/2012 CAPE MAY NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
HOUSE FIRE AT 117TH AND W 25TH STREET.
1031 PM TSTM WND DMG FREEHOLD 40.26N 74.28W
07/28/2012 MONMOUTH NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE ON TOP OF CAR
1040 PM HAIL EATONTOWN 40.29N 74.06W
07/28/2012 E1.00 INCH MONMOUTH NJ PUBLIC
TIME EST
1044 PM TSTM WND DMG LONG BRANCH 40.30N 73.99W
07/28/2012 MONMOUTH NJ PUBLIC
LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN
1044 PM TSTM WND DMG FREEHOLD 40.26N 74.28W
07/28/2012 MONMOUTH NJ TRAINED SPOTTER
RT35ANDWYOFF RD. GAS STN PARTIAL ROOF COLLAPSE ON AUTO
This report came from the Asbury Park Press this morning:
FREEHOLD BOROUGH — Numerous Freehold roads are shut down and residents are without power after the borough suffered extensive damage from a storm packing high winds overnight. Mayor Nolan Higgins said he issued a state of emergency, in part to allow expected cleanup and overtime costs to be covered in the municipal budget. There were no immediate reports of serious injuries. The storm hit shortly after 11 p.m. “It looks like 90 per cent of the town is without power and there’s a tremendous amout of tree damage,’’ Higgins said. “We’re still assessing things. JCP&L is bringing in extra crews and trucks to help.’’ Residents said they’ve rarely seen this extent of weather damage in the county seat. “I survived Irene (tropical storm last year) and I’ll tell you it’s pretty darned close,’’ said Steve August, who runs a plumbing business on Center Street. On Broadway, near Freehold High School, the road is blocked by numerous fallen trees, including one that crushed a car in the middle of the road. Residents said the driver escaped without being injured.
Photos of storm damage from last night, from the Asbury Park Press:
George Wright is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist for Wright Weather Consulting, LLC. George is also a meteorologist with ABC News and Cablevision News 12. Our website is WrightWeather.com.