Damaging Winds in New Jersey, July 18, 1997

Two powerful severe thunderstorms caused considerable wind damage across the southwestern and northern parts of Warren County and injured three persons. Two persons were injured in Mansfield Township when a tree came crashing down on the hood of their vehicle. The other person, the son of a carnival worker, was injured by a flying limb in Hackettstown. Numerous trees were uprooted. Peak wind gusts averaged around 65 mph. One thunderstorm caused wind damage in the southwestern part of the county in Harmony Township and Phillipsburg. The other thunderstorm caused a swath of damage in the northern half of the county in Allamuchy, Blairstown, Hackettstown, Hope, Independence, Knowlton and Mansfield Townships.Most of the structural damage to homes and vehicles were caused by fallen trees. In Harmony Township, the damage was described as a disaster area. Fallen trees closed three major roadways. In Knowlton Township, the Clover Rest Home was evacuated because of downed wires. In Hope Township, it was nearly impossible to find a piece of property that did not have wind damage. Hardest hit were the Locust Lake Road and Mount Hermon Road areas. One resident in that area had 17 uprooted trees on their property. Most of the township also lost power. The large cross on the roof of St John's Methodist Church was torn from the steeple and thrust into the church's roof. At the Triple Brook Mobile Home Park, campers were overturned and tents were ripped. The area was nearly evacuated. In Phillipsburg, downed power lines started a house fire. In Hackettstown alone hundreds of trees were uprooted. The steeple of the St. James Episcopal Church was damaged and a house on Grand Avenue suffered extensive wind damage.Throughout central and northwest New Jersey about 78,000 GPU customers lost power. About 50,000 customers still had no power the morning of the 19th (Saturday). The number was down to 16,000 the (Sunday) evening of the 20th (6,000 in Warren County), 1,000 the afternoon of the 21st (Monday) and the final 94 in Phillipsburg were back on line on the 22nd (Tuesday).