Did a tornado uproot, snap large trees in Hunterdon County, NJ?

⚡Thunderstorms were strong crossing into western New Jersey but weakened quickly

⚡Straight line winds caused damage in parts of Hunterdon County

⚡16,000 JCP&L customers lost power during the storm

A National Weather Service survey team determined "thunderstorm wind" uprooted several large trees and brought down tree limbs in Hunterdon County Monday night.

As the sun went down Monday evening a line of fast-moving thunderstorms moving from west to east lost their punch with most of the state experiencing just run-of-the-mill storms. But they were still strong crossing the Delaware River bringing 85-95 mph winds to Bloomsbury and Holland Township.

One neighborhood hard hit

The survey team said in its preliminary report that Creveling Road and Johnston Drive in Bethlehem, on the border with Bloomsbury, was especially hard hit with at least two softwood trees snapped at the trunk. The damage was unidirectional with tree debris laying to the north, according to the report.

"The 85-95 mph estimated wind speed is intense. It's no wonder there was such a swath of damage there in Hunterdon County. I am not surprised they did not find tornado evidence. That storm cell did not show a strong rotation cell on radar Monday evening," New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said.

Power restored for all

JCP&L crews spent much of Tuesday restoring power to the 16,000 customers who lost power because of the storm, according to spokeswoman Hannah Catlett. As of Wednesday morning, there were still 1,800 customers without power.

"We do expect to get those restored by the end of today. We work the outages from the problem areas that are going to restore the most people first and then move down the line. We move down to ones that still need fixed and quickly and safely that don't affect as many people as the ones that we prioritize at the beginning," Catlett told New Jersey 101.5.

What is a storm survey?

Zarrow said there are basically three possible results of a storm survey.

1️⃣ A tornado, which would have shown evidence of swirling winds along a narrow path.

2️⃣ A microburst, which is a huge mass of air that hits the ground from above, spreading strong winds in all directions.

3️⃣ Or straight-line winds, your classic "thunderstorm wind," which pushes air rapidly in one direction.

"Based on their wording in the National Weather Service's Public Information Statement, saying 'damage was unilateral,' it has to be straight-line winds," Zarrow said.

The survey team concluded a tornado touched down in Allentown, Pennsylvania, but did not disclose wind speed in its preliminary report. Straight-line winds were the cause of extensive damage in New Castle County, Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania.

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