Damaging Winds in New Jersey, July 18, 1997

A couple of very powerful severe thunderstorms caused considerable tree damage throughout central and northern Somerset County and injured two persons. The strongest wind gusts measured by SKYWARN spotters reached close to 70 mph. The fallen trees consequently damaged numerous homes and vehicles, caused power outages and forced road closures. In Bound Brook, a woman driver and her 10-year-old son were injured when a tree fell on their vehicle's windshield. Her 6-year-old son was not injured. Emergency personnel responded to 65 calls of downed trees and power lines throughout the borough as over 40 trees were uprooted. In Bridgewater Township, a wind gust was measured at 68 mph by a SKYWARN Spotter. Siding was reported ripped from houses and mail boxes were knocked down. A bus company's roof was blown off. Somerville Borough was particularly hard hit. There were eight reports of property damage that included the roofs being blown off the borough's middle school and a downtown boutique. Garages, fences and swimming pools were also damaged. Fallen trees damaged several vehicles and five roads were still closed the next day. Other municipalities that reported wind damage to vehicles and homes included Bernards Township, Branchburg Township, Franklin Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville Borough, North Plainfield Borough and Raritan Borough. Numerous trees and wires were reported down in Bernardsville and Green Brook Township.Public Service Electric and Gas reported 20,000 customers lost power in Middlesex, Somerset and Union Counties. All power was restored by the afternoon of the 20th. Throughout central and northwest New Jersey about 78,000 (out of a possible 490,000) 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, 1,000 the afternoon of the 21st (Monday) with all power restored by that point to Somerset County homes.