Power Outage in Port Elizabeth, NJ

A gust front outrunning a cluster of severe thunderstorms entered near Greenwich in western Cumberland County at approximately 12:23 am EDT on the 30th. This gust front produced damaging wind gusts ranging from 65 to 70 mph as it traversed eastward across the county. Within approximately 10 to 20 minutes of the gust front passage, a potent line of severe thunderstorms tracked eastward into Cumberland County. One thunderstorm cell in particular experienced rapid intensification and expansion as it tracked through southern New Jersey. Destructive wind gusts, estimated as high as 75 mph, resulted in significant tree and power line damage county-wide. Eight homes in the county were destroyed, forty others suffered major damage. In addition, one hundred thirty one other homes suffered minor damage and fifty others 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. A 59 mph wind gust associated with the gust front was measured in Newport by a trained spotter at 12:40 am EDT on the 30th. Soon after, severe thunderstorms tracked through the Newport area, producing winds measured at 59 mph by a trained spotter. The strong winds associated with the cluster of thunderstorms occurred at 12:50 am EDT on the 30th and lasted for a duration of 10 minutes. ||Intense thunderstorms produced several other measured wind gusts as they progressed from west to east across the county. A 62 mph gust was measured by a mesonet station in Upper Deerfield Township at 12:45 am EDT. Two locations recorded the highest measured gust of 67 mph in Cumberland County. A mesonet station in Bivalve measured a 67 mph gust at 12:50 am EDT, and the ASOS equipment at the Millville Municipal Airport (KMIV) measured a 67 mph gust at 12:57 am EDT. In addition, the KMIV Airport ASOS also measured a 63 mph gust at 12:52 am EDT. The final measured gust in Cumberland County of 64 mph was recorded in Vineland by a trained spotter at 1:00am EDT on the 30th. Severe thunderstorms exited eastern Cumberland County, including the town of Port Elizabeth, at approximately 1:19 am EDT on the 30th. ||Widespread damage occurred across Cumberland County as a result of the strong wind gusts associated with the gust front and cluster of severe thunderstorms. Numerous trees were knocked down in Vineland and Bridgeton, and damage to some buildings was also reported in Vineland. Trees were reported down along Glade Road in Maurice River Township. Electric wires were knocked down in Delmont, and multiple large tree limbs blew down in Port Norris.||Thousands of customers lost power across the county as a result of the extensive tree and wire damage, with many areas experiencing power outages for about one week. According to Vineland Electric, about 1,800 customers did not have their power restored until the week of July 9th. As a result, the city of Vineland, as well as other surrounding communities, provided air-conditioned cooling centers as temperatures soared into the 90s during the week following the derecho. Vineland also postponed its Independence Day fireworks twice.

Severe thunderstorms produced a swath of wind damage across central Cumberland County. Numerous trees, wires and poles were damaged. Atlantic City Electric, reported about 30 percent of its customers, 12,000, lost power in the county. A microburst occurred around the Pleasant Drive area of Millville and produced about a half mile of intense tree damage. Wind gusts were estimated around 70 mph.|Wind damage was reported in Bridgeton, Commerical, Port Elizabeth and Vineland, but the worst wind damage occurred within Millville. Within Millville, three major roadways were closed. A sedan on Fulton Street was totaled by a downed tree. There were still about 5,100 homes and businesses without power the following evening, the 26th.