Power Outage in Long Branch, NJ

Pictures of significant tree damage around Howell with reports of Power Outages and wires downed likely due to tornado. Time estimated via radar.

A new QLCS tornado developed just west of a neighborhood on Walnford Road southeast of Allentown. The most significant damage from the tornado occurred to properties within the neighborhood, especially those along an open field to the southeast. The tornado was also near its widest point in this area. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped within the neighborhood. A few homes sustained removal of roofing material, siding removal, windows blown out, and a couple garage doors blown out. Damage in this area was consistent with wind speeds estimated to be near 110 mph. An irrigation pivot was blown into a fence separating the neighborhood and the field where it was toppled over, partially into some residential yards.||The tornado continued eastward across the field toward Allentown Davis Station Road where another shorter irrigation pivot was overturned. Along the road, several trees were snapped or uprooted near and northwest of the intersection with Polhemustown Road and Holmesmill Road. A wooden power pole was also leaning in the direction of the tornado's motion. The tornado continued east along Allentown Davis Station Road where more mainly minor tree damage occurred. At the traffic circle intersection with Sharon Station Road, several road signs were blown down in various directions. The tornado moved east-southeastward into a field just south of a farmstead and north of Davis Station Road. The tornado entered another wooded residential area near the intersection of Davis Station Road ans Harvey Road where more significant tree damage occurred and the tornadic circulation widened. The tornado moved east across Meirs Road where numerous trees were snapped or uprooted on residential properties, once of which fell onto power lines. The tornado moved east toward a residential neighborhood along Long Acre Drive where some additional tree damage occurred. The |tornado moved east of the residential area across a tree line and then dissipated in an open field along Emleys Hill-Prospertown Road.

A tornado formed along an eastward moving rotating supercell within a line of thunderstorms and made an initial touchdown on the north side of Palomino Drive. A 100 yard wide path of dozens of large hardwood and softwood trees were snapped or uprooted in a convergent east to northeast pattern between the north side of |Palomino Drive and the high tension powerlines paralleling to the north. In addition to the extensive tree damage, numerous fences were demolished with moderate roof and shingle damage to houses on the north side of Palomino Drive. The path of tree damage continued east southeast, across N New Prospect Rd, and along the north and northeast periphery of the newly built Paragon apartment complex. The degree of tree and home damage is consistent with winds of 100-120 mph. ||The tornado continued east southeast down to the intersection of Larsen Road and Maplewood Place. Several large hard and soft wood trees were snapped or uprooted in a convergent pattern, and power poles downed, on either side of Larsen at this intersection. The tornado tracked east southeast across the residences along the |east side of Maplewood and the northeast section of Dogwood Rd, with about a 150 yd width path of dozens of large trees snapped or uprooted in a convergent pattern, power poles downed or snapped, fences demolished, and sheds flipped or moved. Despite the |significant tree damage, generally only minor siding and roof shingle damage was noted. This damage was consistent with EF1 winds of 90 to 110 mph. The tornado likely moved southeast from here across a shallow NE to SW cleared valley area along the Monmouth/Ocean county border with transmission lines running through. No damage was noted to the transmission lines or the metal truss towers.||The tornado then likely strengthened to its greatest intensity as it continued east southeast from the clearing to the residences on the southwest corner of Spicy Pond Rd. Numerous large trees snapped or uprooted in a 300 yd long and 150 yd wide |convergent pattern, fences demolished, and several houses having minor to moderate siding, gutter, awning, deck and roof shingle damage. The worst damage occurred to a house facing to the southwest on the southwest corner of Spicy Pond Road, whose whole roof was lifted and tossed into their backyard and immediate neighbor backyards. Some of the debris, including a larger roof rafter was lofted about 125 yards, impaling the roof and second floor of a house on the east side of Addison Road. In addition, some siding from the house was impaled into the siding of the neighboring house to the north, with insulation and siding debris littering the neighborhood for about 200 yds to to the east southeast. Based on the degree of damage and construction this was determined to be EF2 wind damage of 110-120 mph. The tornado |likely quickly occluded after passing Addison Rd, ending its short path.

A National Weather Service storm survey has confirmed a brief EF-0 |tornado occurred in Hazlet Township on the evening of Friday, May |20th just after 5 PM EDT.||The tornado began along Line Road on the border between Strathmore |Township and Hazlet Township where several large limbs were blown |off and a couple softwood tree trunks were snapped. The snapped tree |trunks caused collateral damage to utility poles and power lines |near the intersection of Sophia Drive. The center of circulation |continued east-northeast into a residential neighborhood between |Sophia Drive and Carlow Way where the most significant damage from |the tornado occurred. At least a dozen homes in this area sustained |cosmetic damage, including vinyl siding blown off, soffit damage, |gutter damage, and/or roof shingles blown off. The only structural |damage noted was due to a tree falling onto a home which caused some |structural damage to its roof. A few larger softwood trees were |uprooted in the residential area and several vinyl fence sections |were blown over.||The tornado damage path then became somewhat discontinuous as it |crossed the Garden State Parkway toward another residential area |along Park View Drive. A softwood tree sustained significant loss of |limbs and a couple others were uprooted nearby. A utility pole was |also damaged along Park View Drive. A few homes sustained minor |cosmetic damage near the intersections of Linda Place, Beers Street, |and Rutgers Street, then the circulation continued east-northeast |along Rutgers Street toward Bedle Road where several large limbs |were blown off a few trees. A final softwood tree was uprooted along |Bedle Road near Indian Hill Court where the surface circulation |appeared to have dissipated.||No additional damage occurred from this storm as it continued |through the residential area toward Route 35. Four utility poles |were pushed over or broken along Route 35 near the Jiffy Lube auto |shop. However, no additional damage occurred in this area, and thus |it has been determined that the damage to the poles was caused by |straight line winds.

A strong downburst or microburst occurred in the area of Howell Twp. Trees were uprooted and power poles were downed near the intersection of Route 524 and Howell Rd. Numerous damage reports were received from the area.

Several reports of downed tree limbs and power lines in the Asbury Park, Deal, and Neptune City areas. Time estimated from radar.

Reports of downed wires and numerous power outages in the Sea Bright and Rumson areas. Time estimated from radar.

Downed trees and power lines near Shrewsbury Avenue and Bank Street near Red Bank. Time estimated from radar.

Downed trees and power lines in the vicinity of Woodward Road near State Highway 33. Time estimated from radar.

Downed trees and power lines in the Spring Lake area. Time estimated from radar.

Several reports of downed trees and power lines in the Southard area. Time estimated from radar.

Tree and power lines downed in the area. Time estimated from radar.

A tree was downed in wires with power outages reported near Grassmere Ave and Chestnut Ave. Time estimated from radar.

Extensive damage occurred in Millstone Twp. Numerous trees and power lines were downed with widespread power outages. Several roads were closed. Time estimated from radar.

Numerous trees and power lines were downed in this area. Time estimated from radar.

Widespread tree damage and power outages occurred in and near Howell. The NOAA Weather Radio transmitter located in the area was damaged. Time estimated from radar.

Several trees and power lines were downed in Freehold. Time estimated from radar.

A severe thunderstorm also knocked down trees onto power lines in Millstone Township.

The gust front from a severe thunderstorm knocked down trees onto power lines in Manalapan Township.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees and wires in Freehold Township. Of the 40,000 Jersey Central Power and Light customers to lose power in Monmouth County, 10,000 were in Freehold Township. The next morning (the 8th), 7,000 homes and businesses in Monmouth County were still without power.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down trees in the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold Township and large tree limbs in other sections of the township. A Skywarn spotter measured a wind gust of 52 mph at his house in Cream Ridge. The combination of lightning and damaging winds caused about 400 homes throughout Monmouth to lose power.

A squall line of severe thunderstorms knocked down trees and wires in numerous locations throughout Monmouth County. Hardest hit within the county was in the Freehold area. About 3,500 of the 10,000 outages reported by Jersey Central Power and Light occurred in and around Freehold. An additional 1,000 outages occurred in Brielle. The outbound New Jersey Transit North Coast Rail Commuter Line between Hazlet and Long Branch experienced up to 30 minute delays because of downed trees.

A squall line of severe thunderstorms knocked down trees and wires in numerous locations throughout Monmouth County. Hardest hit within the county was in the Freehold area. About 3,500 of the 10,000 outages reported by Jersey Central Power and Light occurred in and around Freehold. An additional 1,000 outages occurred in Brielle. The outbound New Jersey Transit North Coast Rail Commuter Line between Hazlet and Long Branch experienced up to 30 minute delays because of downed trees.

A downburst from a severe thunderstorm caused wind damage centered around Long Branch and Oceanport. About 13,000 homes and businesses lost power in a dozen municipalities in that part of Monmouth County. Numerous wires and tree limbs were knocked down. The combination of roadway debris and traffic lights that were out made driving difficult.

A severe thunderstorm tore down several power lines and trees across northeast Monmouth County. Downed trees and wires were reported in Fair Haven, Holmdel, Middletown and Neptune. About 10,000 homes and businesses lost power in the county. About 2,000 did not have power restored as of the evening of the 17th.

A severe thunderstorm tore down several power lines and trees across northeast Monmouth County. Downed trees and wires were reported in Fair Haven, Holmdel, Middletown and Neptune. About 10,000 homes and businesses lost power in the county. About 2,000 did not have power restored as of the evening of the 17th.

The combination of a cold frontal passage and an unseasonably hot and humid air mass generated a series of strong to locally severe thunderstorms that moved through New Jersey during the afternoon and evening of the 6th. The strongest thunderstorms affected central and northern New Jersey where about 37,000 homes and businesses lost power. Most of the power was restored by midnight that night.

In addition to the flash flooding, lightning from thunderstorms caused power outages in central New Jersey.

Severe thunderstorms rolled across parts of Monmouth County, New Jersey during the evening of June 1st. Strong winds from the thunderstorms downed power lines on Yardville-Allentown Road around 8:30 PM EDT.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees in Wall Township. A couple of streets were temporarily closed. A downed tree also tore down power lines at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Hospital Road. Nearly 200 homes and businesses lost power for about two hours.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees from the Leonardo Section of Middletown Township eastward through Atlantic Highlands and Highlands Boroughs. Several trees fell onto transmission lines near New Jersey State Route 36 in Middletown Township. About 5,000 homes and businesses lost power. Power was fully restored by 640 p.m. EDT that evening.

A severe thunderstorm downed numerous large tree limbs and a few trees in Middletown Township. Downed limbs caused power outages in the Leonardo and Hillside sections of the township. One home in the Hillside section was damaged by a downed tree. A downed wire caused a transformer fire in the township. Downed wires and limbs also occurred in Fair Haven Borough. About 6,000 homes and businesses lost power in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

A severe thunderstorm downed numerous large tree limbs and wires in Freehold and Marlboro Townships. The severe thunderstorm caused about 6,000 homes and businesses to lose power in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Thunderstorms with frequent cloud-to-ground caused power outages in southeastern Monmouth County. About 3,000 homes and businesses lost power in Monmouth and neighboring Ocean County. All power was restored by the 22nd. Around 600 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occurred in Ocean and Monmouth Counties between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. EDT. Power outages in Monmouth County were concentrated in Howell Township and Manasquan Borough.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down power lines and large tree limbs in Manasquan Borough.

Lightning struck a church in Neptune. No significant damage was reported. Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning caused about 7,000 Jersey Central Power and Light customers to lose power in central New Jersey. All power was restored in Monmouth County by the late evening on the 13th.

A squall line of showers produced wind gusts as strong as 70 mph mainly along the coastal communities of extreme southeast Monmouth County. Trees and wires were knocked down in Manasquan and Brielle Boroughs. In Manasquan, the roof of a dugout blew away. Fences were damaged at Stockton Lake Park. In Belmar, a home under construction on 12th Avenue collapsed and damaged the side and roof of the home next door. Jersey Central Power and Light reported about 5,000 of its customers lost power in Monmouth County. The low pressure system that helped mix the near hurricane force winds aloft down to the surface moved from the lower Chesapeake Bay at 4 p.m. EST on the 14th to Delaware Bay at 7 p.m. EST on the 14th to Hammonton, New Jersey at 10 p.m. EST on the 14th and then just south of Jones Beach, New York at 1 a.m. EST on the 15th.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees in Freehold Borough and caused about 1,600 homes and businesses to lose power.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down large tree limbs and power lines in Allentown Borough and Upper Freehold Township.

A severe thunderstorm pulled down several trees and power lines near New Jersey State Route 36 and the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown Borough.

A severe thunderstorm caused considerable wind damage, particularly in Belmar Borough and dropped hen egg size (2 inches in diameter) hail in Neptune Township. The severe thunderstorm moved northeast from Ocean County and intensified as it approached Belmar. In Wall Township, numerous tree limbs and one large tree was knocked down. But, in Belmar, the damage increased. About 25 homes and a half dozen cars were damaged. Two utility poles were ripped from the ground and nearly 50 trees were either knocked down or suffered serious damage. A home on 13th Avenue was shifted off its foundation. The A frame of a roof was ripped from a 12th Avenue home and was deposited on a neighbor's tree. A trampoline was tossed onto the roof of another home. A large tree crashed through a summer rental home on 15th Avenue. The wind also blew a tent set up for a professional volleyball tournament and knocked over a television tower erected for the event on the 5th Avenue Beach. Wind damage in Belmar started near the intersection of E Street and 16th Avenue and proceeded northeast to the oceanfront at 5th Avenue. About 4,000 homes and businesses lost power. No serious injuries were reported.

Several trees and wires were knocked down by a severe thunderstorm in Fair Haven and Rumson Boroughs. Power was lost in sections of both boroughs.

The worst meteorological phenomenon to cause damage in Monmouth County since the December 1992 nor'easter moved through the county during the evening of the 2nd. A complex of severe thunderstorms brought hurricane force wind gusts across the county and downed thousands of trees and power lines and hundreds of poles. Dozens of homes and vehicles were damaged by fallen trees. Forty-four of the fifty-three municipalities in the county reported damage from the storm. A state of emergency was declared in the county as 168,000 homes and businesses lost power. It took until August 8th for power to be fully restored. The loss of power was exacerbated by the unusually hot and humid weather. Food in supermarkets spoiled. Many businesses were closed on Saturday the 3rd. The county opened cooling centers in Middletown and Long Branch to help residents with the heat. Jersey Central Power and Light distributed water and dry ice. The preliminary damage estimate was 10.2 million dollars. Hardest hit municipalities included Allenhurst Borough, Deal Borough, Fair Haven Borough, Long Branch City, Middletown Township, Oceanport Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls Borough, Union Beach Borough and West Long Branch Borough. No deaths or serious injuries were reported during the storm, but a couple of deaths and injuries occurred during the clean-up. Debris along roadways was stacked six feet high. A wind gust to 83 mph was measured at the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat Clubhouse before the instrument broke. In Eatontown Borough, the Old Orchard Country Club lost 123 trees. Two hundred other trees (5 to 6 feet in diameter) were badly damaged. Another golf course lost 50 trees. In Fair Haven Borough, a 40-year-old man died after removing tree debris. About 10 to 15 trees fell on and badly damaged homes. Some downed trees were up to 250 years old and eight feet in diameter. Thirty streets were impassable. In Little Silver Borough, a dog was killed when a tree fell through a house. Roads were closed through the 4th. Long Branch City was "pummeled". Thirty-five percent of the city still did not have power on the 5th. Power lines were knocked down on major roadways. Emergency services responded to 200 calls of downed trees and wires and flooding. In Middletown Township, hundreds of trees also fell. One couple was displaced after a giant oak tree fell through their home. A public works employee was injured while he was clearing an apparently dead power line. In Monmouth Beach Borough, only two percent of the borough had power after the thunderstorms moved through. In Ocean Township, a house was damaged by downed trees. Many mature trees crashed onto township golf courses closing them for four days. In Red Bank Township, several homes were damaged by fallen trees. Most of the downtown area was without power into the fourth. In Ocean Township, one house was damaged by downed trees. A couple of golf courses were closed through the 4th because of tree damage. The deputy police chief in Sea Bright suffered a heart attack after a day of clearing brush. In Tinton Falls Borough, one house was completely destroyed by downed trees. Fifty trees blocked roadways. One man suffered minor injuries after a large oak tree crashed into his house. A tree also fell onto borough hall, but did not damage it. In West Long Branch Borough, Monmouth University suffered extensive damage. Thirty large trees came down on campus. The wind peeled the roof from the Willow Hall dormitory. Heavy ain then exacerbated the damage. A large tree fell through the Garden Apartments Residence Hall. All offices of the university were closed for five days. Damage to the university alone was estimated at 1.5 million dollars. A three story office building was badly damaged after its roof was torn off and rain inundated it. It was expected to take a couple of months to repair the building.The line of thunderstorms wreaked havoc on the infrastructure of Jersey Central Power and Light. Systemwide the thunderstorms knocked out power to 200,000 of its customers (168,000 in Monmouth County). The storm damaged 2,200 power lines and 420 poles. Of the 200,000 initial outages systemwide, 148,000 still did not have power restored the evening of the 3rd. The number dropped to 86,000 the afternoon of the 4th, 69,300 the evening of the 4th, 45,000 the afternoon of the 5th, 35,000 the morning of the 6th (all in Monmouth County), 10,000 the evening of the 6th, less than 1,000 the evening of the 7th and the last few (in Rumson Borough) until 1140 a.m. EDT on the 8th.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees and wires in Howell Township, especially the southern half of the township. Several trees were knocked down across County Route 547 taking power lines with them. The combination of high winds and lightning left 5,000 Jersey Central Power and Light customers without power in Monmouth and Ocean Counties on the 19th.

A severe thunderstorm knocked over a couple of trees and numerous limbs and wires in northwestern Monmouth County in Clifford Beach (Aberdeen Township), Hazlet Township, Holmdel Township, Keansburg Borough and Keyport Borough. Jersey Central Power and Light reported that 5,000 of its customers lost power due to the winds and lightning on the 19th in Ocean and Monmouth Counties.

A lightning strike hit the gas meter of a Holmdel house. The subsequent fire melted some of its siding. Lightning strikes caused 3,000 Jersey Central Power and Light customers to lose power.

A severe thunderstorm with hurricane force gusts knocked over numerous trees from Red Bank eastward to Sea Bright. Fair Haven was hit the hardest. Numerous streets were blocked by downed trees making travel particularly between Fair Haven and Red Bank difficult. Boats were capsized on the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers. About 6,000 homes and businesses lost power. The only injuries occurred in Sea Bright when the high winds tore away the outside deck off a waterfront restaurant. No serious injuries were reported. The wind damage began along the Navesink River in Red Bank and continued east following Harding and Ridge Roads into Fair Haven and Little Silver. Damage continued eastward through Rumson's County Golf Club into the Shrewsbury River to Sea Bright. Fair Haven was hit the hardest with extensive tree damage. The tree damage was similar to what happened in Colts Neck the previous year. Damage was estimated of $125,000. About 6,000 homes and businesses lost power. All power was restored by the 29th. Damaging winds from the severe thunderstorm started in Red Bank. The winds overturned a dozen boats on trailers at the Monmouth Boat Club and overturned two sailboats in the Navesink River. A downed tree trapped two passengers after it fell on it. They were not hurt. Several roads in Fair Haven were closed through the 28th for removal In Little Silver, a house's den was destroyed by a fallen tree. Seven trees were knocked down in Rumson, one fell on a house. In Sea Bright, in addition to the restaurant losing its deck, a downed flag pole damaged two vehicles.

In addition to the severe weather, a lightning surge at the Borough's hall caused flames to come through one of the power lines in the building. Damage was estimated at about $10,000.

A severe thunderstorm which was observed to have tornado-like clouds caused wind and/or lightning damage in about a dozen communities in Monmouth County. About 8,000 homes and businesses lost power in Monmouth and adjacent Ocean Counties because of the severe thunderstorm. Golf ball size hail fell in Holmdel Township. In Manalapan Township, two roads were closed by downed trees. One property owner in Middletown Township alone lost about eight trees. Numerous trees were knocked down in Atlantic Highlands Borough. The southern half of Deal Borough and all of Allenhurst Borough lost power. Several trees were knocked down in Oakhurst (Ocean Township), one damaged a house. Downed trees were also reported in Fair Haven Borough and Millstone Township. A lightning strike started a fire and damaged a home in Tinton Falls Borough. Another lightning strike set a pole on fire in Monmouth Beach Borough. A Coast Guard sensor in Keansburg Borough reported a measured wind gust of 58 mph.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a couple of trees in Millstone Township and several power lines across western Monmouth County.

An unseasonably warm air mass and an intense low pressure system and cold front set the stage for an extremely windy day across New Jersey on December 17th. Thunderstorms embedded within bands of heavy precipitation exacerbated the wind and in some instances became severe. This was the case in Monmouth County. Severe thunderstorms knocked down trees and power lines from Allentown Borough and Upper Freehold Township northeast through Colts Neck Township.

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees in Holmdel Township. Lightning struck a home in Holmdel and created a hole in its roof. In Howell Township, lightning struck five separate homes. Two small fires ensued. One person was hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Marble size hail also fell in Howell Township. GPU reported that 6,500 homes and businesses lost power in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean Townships.

Lightning struck the communications tower of the Neptune Police Department. The lightning proceeded to damage the police radios, repeaters and dispatch consoles. All 911 calls were forwarded to the county center. The police operated from a backup communications center. Normal operations were expected to be resumed the evening of the 15th. The frequent lightning caused about 7,000 customers to lose power in Central New Jersey.

A very strong downburst produced by a severe thunderstorm caused significant tree damage in Marlboro and Colts Neck Townships. The downed trees destroyed decks, landscaping, gutters, roofing, siding and windows, outdoor furniture, pools, vehicles (including a UPS Truck) and even a boat. There were no serious injuries. Funnel clouds were sighted over Colts Neck Township, but all the damage was determined to be caused by straight line winds from the downburst. Nearly all the trees were knocked down toward the southeast. The estimated wind gusts were between 75 and 90 mph which would be comparable to an F1 tornado. The most significant damage occurred in an area bounded by New Jersey State Route 18 to the west, County Route 537 to the south, Dutch Land Road to the north and Montrose Road to the east. The area affected was roughly two miles long and half a mile wide. In Marlboro Township, the Forest Estates Development was hit the hardest. In Colts Neck Township, it was the southwest part of the township with 20 percent of the township losing power. Most of Dutch Lane Road was totally impassible. It was common to find 100 foot tall/100 year old trees uprooted or snapped. A few trees were also knocked down in Freehold and Ocean Townships. About 1,700 customers lost power. Power was restored to nearly everyone by the next morning.