Alert archive / New Jersey / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 32, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

August 20, 2026Cape May County, New Jersey

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this tornado warning at Aug 20, 2026, 7:08 PM EDT for Cape May County, New Jersey. It was in force for 22 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 20, 2026, 7:08 PM EDT (23:08 UTC)
Expired
Aug 20, 2026, 7:30 PM EDT
In force
22 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
0.75 in

County Cape May County, NJ

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:12 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 20, 7:16 PM EDTTSTM WND GST 671 Se Villas, NJAWOS station KWWD Wildwood.
Aug 20, 7:16 PM EDTMARINE TSTM WIND 671 Se Villas, NJAWOS station KWWD Wildwood.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 20, 2:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr
Aug 20, 2:58 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 218 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2026-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 97 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2026-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
97 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-72 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1192 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
230 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

631 
WFUS51 KPHI 202308
TORPHI
NJC009-202330-
/O.NEW.KPHI.TO.W.0032.260820T2308Z-260820T2330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
Issued by National Weather Service New York NY
708 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Cape May County in southern New Jersey...

* Until 730 PM EDT.

* At 707 PM EDT, a waterspout was located just offshore over North 
  Cape May, or near Cape May, moving east at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar confirmed waterspout moving toward shore.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Cape May, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Avalon, West Cape May,
  Stone Harbor, Scotch Bonnet, Diamond Beach, Rio Grande, North Cape
  May, Cape May Court House, Villas, West Wildwood, Erma, and
  Whitesboro-Burleigh.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3895 7497 3903 7495 3910 7470 3898 7478
      3894 7483 3893 7487 3892 7496
TIME...MOT...LOC 2307Z 264DEG 38KT 3898 7500 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Staarmann
2 follow-up statements
924 
WWUS51 KPHI 202316
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
Issued by National Weather Service New York NY
716 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

NJC009-202330-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0032.000000T0000Z-260820T2330Z/
Cape May NJ-
716 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN CAPE MAY COUNTY...

At 716 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Rio Grande, or near Cape May, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Cape May, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Avalon, West Cape May,
Stone Harbor, Scotch Bonnet, Diamond Beach, Rio Grande, North Cape
May, Cape May Court House, Villas, West Wildwood, Erma, and
Whitesboro-Burleigh.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3895 7497 3903 7495 3910 7470 3898 7478
      3894 7483 3893 7487 3892 7496
TIME...MOT...LOC 2316Z 250DEG 36KT 3902 7490 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Staarmann
221 
WWUS51 KPHI 202327
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
Issued by National Weather Service New York NY
727 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

NJC009-202337-
/O.EXP.KPHI.TO.W.0032.000000T0000Z-260820T2330Z/
Cape May NJ-
727 PM EDT Thu Aug 20 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN CAPE MAY COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 730 PM EDT...

The storm which prompted the warning are moving offshore and out of 
the area. Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for southern New
Jersey.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Mount Holly NJ.

LAT...LON 3895 7497 3903 7495 3910 7470 3898 7478
      3894 7483 3893 7487 3892 7496
TIME...MOT...LOC 2327Z 264DEG 38KT 3903 7478 

$$

Staarmann

The office that day

Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 20, 2:04 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI86 min
Aug 20, 3:26 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI94 min
Aug 20, 4:38 PM EDTTornado WarningPHIAtlantic37 min
Aug 20, 4:41 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIAtlantic, Cape May, Cumberland4 hr
Aug 20, 5:13 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI92 min
Aug 20, 5:14 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI91 min
Aug 20, 5:24 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIAtlantic4 hr
Aug 20, 5:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatPHIGloucester, Salem48 min
Aug 20, 5:36 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI84 min
Aug 20, 5:39 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHICamden, Gloucester, Salem4 hr
Aug 20, 6:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICumberland, Gloucester, Salem51 min
Aug 20, 6:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBurlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, Salem47 min
Aug 20, 6:15 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI60 min
Aug 20, 6:26 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIMercer4 hr
Aug 20, 6:30 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI90 min
Aug 20, 6:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIAtlantic, Cape May, Cumberland37 min
Aug 20, 6:44 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI61 min
Aug 20, 7:01 PM EDTTornado WarningPHIAtlantic, Cape May, Cumberland29 min
Aug 20, 7:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIAtlantic, Cape May, Cumberland50 min
Aug 20, 7:37 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI2 hr
Aug 20, 7:43 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningPHI2 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in New Jersey, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.