Thunderstorm Wind, Middlesex
- When
- January 19, 2:15 PM EST to 2:40 PM EST
- Where
- Middlesex County, Countywide
- Coordinates
- 40.420, -74.430
Damaging Wind in New Jersey, January 19, 1996
Very strong south winds preceding a cold front caused wind damage in most of the counties bordering the Delaware River and Bay. The wind damage was exacerbated by a strong line of thunderstorms that moved through Central New Jersey in the afternoon and uprooted numerous trees and downed power lines.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.
Very strong south winds preceding a cold front caused wind damage in most of the counties bordering the Delaware River and Bay. The wind damage was exacerbated by a strong line of thunderstorms that moved through Central New Jersey in the afternoon and uprooted numerous trees and downed power lines. In Burlington County, the wind tore the roof off the Palmyra Ambulance Squad and damaged the roof of the Midway School in Lumberton. In Mercer County, the thunderstorm tore the roof from a Trenton home. A 75,000 pound tree was uprooted in Somerville (Somerset County). Downed trees forced the closure of many roads in western Monmouth County. Jersey Central Power and Light reported 14,000 homes lost power in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean Counties. All power was restored by 9 p.m.. Public Service Electric and Gas reported 22,000 homes lost power in Middlesex, Somerset, Burlington, Mercer, Camden and Union Counties.
The radar
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 53 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:16 UTC.
Event by event
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flood in New York, January 19 to 20, 1996
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, January 19, 1996
- Flooding in Virginia, January 19 to 22, 1996
- Flooding in Pennsylvania, January 19 to 21, 1996
- Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, January 19, 1996
- Flood in New York, January 19 to 20, 1996
- Flooding in Vermont, January 19 to 20, 1996
- Flooding in New York, January 19 to 20, 1996
- Flash Flood in New York, January 19 to 20, 1996
- Flash Flood in West Virginia, January 19, 1996
- Flooding in Maryland, January 19 to 22, 1996
- Flooding in West Virginia, January 19 to 21, 1996
More
Every storm in New Jersey in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, January 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5543057.