Four Tornadoes Confirmed Across New Jersey After Severe Weather Outbreak

Northern New Jersey Tornados

Three of the confirmed tornadoes occurred in northern New Jersey along the Interstate 80 corridor. According to ABC7 New York, the NWS rated all three as EF-1 tornadoes. These include:

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• Stanhope and Mount Olive areas: High winds brought down trees near Route 206 and Interstate 80 shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday. Stanhope Police reported that most damage was limited to major roadways.
• Lower Berkshire Valley: Confirmed as one of the three northern touchdowns.
• Pine Brook: This tornado was captured on camera near Top Golf in Parsippany around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, approximately one mile north of the Troy Hills area.

In Stanhope, homeowner Steve Gumeny stated that the state was “very lucky” because the storm missed neighborhoods by about 1,000 yards. Other residents described the intensity of the wind and rain, with Marcello Ramirez noting that sheets of rain made it virtually impossible to see out of his windshield while driving home from work.

South Jersey Waterspout and Touchdown

A fourth tornado was confirmed in Cape May, according to ABC7 New York and News12 | New Jersey. This event began as a waterspout in the Delaware Bay before moving ashore around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. The NWS rated the Cape May tornado as EF-0, noting it caused a narrow path of tree damage before quickly dissipating. 6abc Philadelphia reported that videos of the waterspout were captured by Bob Mullins from Lewes Beach in Delaware and by passengers on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.

Regional Impact and Infrastructure

The severe weather caused significant disruptions to travel and utility services:

• Aviation: Newark Liberty International Airport experienced ground stops, hundreds of delays, and cancellations. One flight was diverted to Philadelphia after the Newark tower was evacuated due to potential tornado risk, according to Cbsnews.
• Power Outages: Nearly 1,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm in Morris County. In Delaware, Delmarva Power reported approximately 3,200 customers without electricity.
• Flooding: Flash flooding occurred from Stanhope to Dover to Lodi. In Hackensack, some drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles in the middle of the road until floodwaters receded.

Official Response and Safety Warnings

Gov. Mikie Sherrill urged residents to pay close attention to tornado warnings, stating that such alerts are sent because the threat is imminent. Sherrill noted that the state Department of Transportation activated its operations center to maintain road safety during the evening commute.

Jeffrey Paul, Director of the Morris County Office of Emergency Management, confirmed that operators at the 911 center witnessed the rotation of a tornado in the Parsippany area from their windows. Paul expressed gratitude that the volume of emergency calls was lower than during a previous storm.