NJ spring storm brings rain, wind, power outages and snow

⛈️Strong storms brought down power lines and trees

⛈️Quarter size hail fell in Lakewood

⛈️Several rivers and Barnegat Bay are at moderate flood level

New Jersey experienced everything from snow to rain to gusty winds to thunderstorms on Wednesday into the early morning hours of Thursday that knocked out both power and service on NJ Transit service.

Heavy rain most of Wednesday gave way to powerful thunderstorms with wind gusts near 50 mph. Top wind gusts recorded by the National Weather Service include 54 mph in Monmouth Beach, 52 mph in Seaside Heights, 48 mph in Trenton and 47 mph in Pittstown and Sea Girt.

Quarter-size hail was reported by The Lakewood Scoop in Lakewood.

ALSO READ: Meteorologist Dan Zarrow's 5 Day Forecast

Rivers near flood stage

Flooding was again a concern for several rivers with the Millstone River at Griggstown reaching major flood stage at just under 15 feet Thursday morning, according to NOAA's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Services.   The Millstone reached minor flood stage at Millstone and Blackwells Mills.

There was also high water in downtown Toms River as Barnegat Bay was at moderate flood level at high tide.

Thousands without power

Gusty winds knocked out power for over 23,000 utility customers across New Jersey as of 8:30 a.m.

• 18,992 JCP&L customers mostly in Hunterdon (Delaware Township), Monmouth (Highlands, Freehold Township and Middletown) and Morris counties (Jefferson and Roxbury Township)
• 4,409 PSE&G customers mostly in Bergen County (Bergenfield, Englewood and Englewood Cliffs) are without power.
• Atlantic City Electric and Orange & Rockland report scattered outages.

The Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Line remained suspended in both directions between Gladstone and Basking Ridge due to overhead wire issues as of 8 a.m. Substitute bus service is being provided between Basking Ridge and Stirling, with limited rail service between Basking Ridge and Summit.

Substitute bus service is being provided on the Gladstone.

Service on the North Jersey Coast Line was restored in both directions between Aberdeen-Matawan and Long Branch around 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

The weather also impacted travel in-and-out of Newark Liberty International with 23 departures and 37 arrivals canceled as of 8 a.m., according to FlightAware.com.

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