Damaging Wind in New Jersey, August 16, 1997

A squall line of severe thunderstorms caused widespread tree damage, mainly in the northeast half, and killed one person in Morris County. A 53 year-old-male from Denville died of a heart attack after being hospitalized for injuries sustained from being hit by a four foot wide tree limb while retrieving the mail. Morris County was the second hardest hit county in northwest New Jersey this afternoon. There were so many downed wires along New Jersey State Route 10 that it looked like spaghetti to observers. Trees fell across and blocked the southbound lanes of Interstate 287. Mountain Lakes Borough had 36 reports of downed trees. In Montville Township, a 100-year-old tree punched a hole in the roof of one home. In Boonton Township one house was so badly damaged by fallen trees that authorities feared it might have to be condemned. Numerous downed trees and wires were also reported in Chatham, Denville, Montville and Rockaway. This squall line caused numerous power outages throughout the northern half of New Jersey as falling trees took down electrical wires. About 97,000 GPU customers lost power that day and 16,000 customers in Sussex and Morris Counties still did not have power restored on the morning of the 18th. Three thousand of these customers were in Montville Township.