Power Outage in Buena, NJ

A gust front outrunning a cluster of severe thunderstorms entered near Buena in western Atlantic County at approximately 12:49 am EDT on the 30th. This gust front produced damaging wind gusts estimated from 65 to 70 mph as it traversed eastward across the county. Within approximately 20 minutes of the gust front passage, a potent line of severe thunderstorms tracked eastward into Atlantic County. One thunderstorm cell in particular experienced rapid intensification and expansion as it tracked across the eastern part of the county. Destructive wind gusts, measured around 75 mph, resulted in significant tree and power line damage county-wide. Based on the extensive damage, winds were estimated to be as high as 90 mph in areas across the county. There were seven homes that were destroyed, forty-nine that suffered major damage, fifty-two that suffered minor damage and forty-two that were affected.||Several wind gusts in association with the gust front passage or cluster of intense thunderstorms were measured across the county by trained spotters, mesonet sites, and ASOS equipment. The strongest measured wind gust across Atlantic County was recorded in Absecon at 74 mph by a retired NWS employee at 1:05 am EDT on the 30th. Several locations in nearby Atlantic City also recorded significant wind gusts. A 66 mph gust was measured at a mesonet station in Atlantic City at 1:11 am EDT on the 30th. At the Atlantic City Marina, a 64 mph gust was measured by the NOS platform at 2:00 am EDT. The ASOS equipment at the Atlantic City International Airport (KACY) recorded a wind gust of 58 mph at 1:13 am EDT. Elsewhere, a 64 mph gust was measured at a mesonet station in Mullica Township at 1:15 am EDT, and a 60 mph gust was recorded in Estell Manor by a NWS cooperative observer at 1:00 am EDT. Finally, a 50 mph gust was measured by a resident in Somers Point at 1:00 am EDT. Severe thunderstorms exited eastern Atlantic County, including Atlantic City, at approximately 2:02 am EDT on the 30th.||Extensive damage occurred across Atlantic county as a result of the strong wind gusts associated with the gust front and cluster of severe thunderstorms, and a State of Emergency was declared in the county. An idle 727 aircraft was moved and damaged by the derecho at the Atlantic City International Airport. Numerous large trees and electric wires were knocked down in many communities, including Estell Manor, Northfield, Mays Landing, Egg Harbor City, Hamilton Township, Galloway Township, Linwood, Margate City, Egg Harbor Township, Ventnor City, Longport, and Atlantic City. As a result, much of the county was affected by long-term power outages, and numerous roads were impassable. Atlantic City Electric reported approximately 105,000 of its customers lost power. In addition to the widespread tree and power line damage, structural damage was also significant across the county, with trees blown down onto houses in Buena and Absecon and shingles blown off of homes in Somers Point. Thousands of customers experienced power outages for about one week. Approximately 1,400 Atlantic City Electric customers that had lost power during the early morning of June 30th did not have their electricity restored until July 8th. Several communities, including Linwood, Egg Harbor Township, Galloway Township, and Brigantine, provided air-conditioned cooling centers as temperatures soared into the 90s during the week following the derecho.