Power Outage in Elmer, NJ

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees and wires in Salem County, especially across the northern tier of the county. At Noon EDT the next day, about 10,000 homes and businesses were still without power in the county.

A gust front outrunning a cluster of severe thunderstorms entered near Pennsville in western Salem County at approximately 12:19 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 Salem county. One thunderstorm cell in particular experienced rapid intensification and expansion as it tracked into southern New Jersey. Destructive wind gusts, estimated at 75 mph, resulted in significant tree and power line damage county-wide. Severe thunderstorms exited eastern Salem County, including the town of Elmer, at approximately 1:06 am EDT on the 30th. ||Widespread damage occurred across Salem County as a result of the strong wind gusts associated with the gust front and cluster of severe thunderstorms. One home was destroyed, another suffered major damage. Three other homes suffered minor damage and one other was also affected. Numerous large tree limbs blew down in the town of Elmer. The Little Acres Farm in Pittsgrove Township had about four dozen 80-foot trees completely uprooted. Approximately 70 trees were knocked down onto roadways across the county, resulting in numerous road closures. Several hundred large trees were knocked down or damaged in Parvin State Park (Pittsgrove Township) in eastern Salem County, and two fatalities resulted. Two young boys, ages 2 and 7, were killed when the top half of a 40 to 50 foot pine tree snapped off due to high wind gusts and landed on the camping tent where they and other family members were taking shelter. The two boys were cousins, one from nearby Franklin Township (Gloucester County) and the other from Millville (Cumberland County). An intense cluster of thunderstorms tracked over eastern Salem County at 12:50 am EDT on the 30th, producing wind gusts estimated between 70 to 75 mph. ||Thousands of customers lost power across the county as a result of extensive tree and wire damage, with many areas experiencing power outages for up to one week. Some customers did not have their power restored until after the 4th of July. As a result, Salem County Emergency Services and the American Red Cross established air-conditioned cooling centers in Woodstown and at the Pittsgrove Township Municipal Building as temperatures soared into the 90s during the week following the derecho.||Damage estimates for Parvin State Park alone are approximately $500,000 as several buildings were damaged and hundreds of trees were either knocked down or damaged. More than a month following the derecho, the majority of the park remained closed to the public as clean-up efforts continued. The swimming beach and concession stand at the park did not reopen until the weekend of July 21st - 22nd. Through early August 2012, some 938 trees have been removed from the park, and damaged large limbs from another 989 trees have been hauled away. Park officials anticipate that much of the park will remain closed to the public for months.