UPDATE: 2 Tornado warnings issued in New Jersey

UPDATE 4:22 p.m.: Two Tornado warnings were briefly issued for New Jersey as a powerful storm impacts the state with heavy rain and gusty winds. The warnings were in addition to less severe tornado watches in several counties.

Both warnings have since been cancelled. The tornado watch remained in effect until 7 p.m.

One warning was for south central Hunterdon County until 4:30 p.m. for a storm located in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, moving northeast at 50 mph.

The second warning was for northwestern Cumberland County and south central Salem County until 4:15 p.m. for a a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado,  located 11 miles north of Dover Delaware and moving northeast at 35 mph.

The watch issued by the National Weather Service is in effect for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Salem and Somerset counties.

Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said that while the steady rain and strong ambient winds are wrapping up, we still face some gusty thunderstorms this afternoon.

"Dangerous weather, up to and including a tornado, are possible," Zarrow said.

A tornado watch signals conditions exist that make a tornado possible. A more urgent tornado watch can be issued if one appears imminent.

The highest wind gusts were 53 MPH in Cape May and 53 MPH in Atlantic City on Monday morning.

Heavy rains also closed the westbound lanes of Route 22 in Readington with high water.

Power outages have have been minimal because of the storm with just over 2,000 utility customers without power as of 2 p.m.

• 1,379 JCP&L customers mostly in Monmouth and Morris counties
• 1,031 PSE&G customers mostly in Middlesex County

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ