Thunderstorm Wind, Essex
- When
- May 6, 12:05 PM EST
- Where
- Essex County, Caldwell
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.850, -74.270
Hail and Damaging Winds in New Jersey, May 6, 1997
A line of severe thunderstorms raced across the area early Tuesday afternoon. It produced high winds that caused scattered damage to several locations.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
- 9
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 OKX wrote it up.
A line of severe thunderstorms raced across the area early Tuesday afternoon. It produced high winds that caused scattered damage to several locations. High winds downed several trees and power lines across the area. The heaviest damage was in Jersey City (and on Staten Island, NY).A survey was conducted in Jersey City later Tuesday afternoon. It was determined that damage was caused by high winds blowing from the same direction (straight-line winds) along the leading edge of the line of thunderstorms. Damage occurred in three separate areas, in line with the movement of this squall line. Eyewitnesses stated they saw a black cloud advancing toward them before the occurrence of rain, thunder, and lightning. When this cloud arrived, winds drastically increased and damage occurred in less than one minute. High winds blew roofs of houses, downed several trees, and caused a 2000 pound trailer to roll over. Wind speeds were estimated from 90 to 100 mph. Reports of funnel clouds were received, but these were "gustnadoes" associated with the strong gust front.
The radar
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:06 UTC.
Event by event
7 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Union
- When
- May 6, 12:15 PM EST
- Where
- Union County, Cranford
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.670, -74.320
Thunderstorm Wind, Union
- When
- May 6, 12:22 PM EST
- Where
- Union County, Murray Hill to Union
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.680, -74.400
Thunderstorm Wind, Bergen
- When
- May 6, 12:22 PM EST
- Where
- Bergen County, Rutherford to North Arlington
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.820, -74.120
Funnel Cloud, Union
- When
- May 6, 12:25 PM EST
- Where
- Union County, Winfield
- Coordinates
- 40.660, -74.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Hail, Bergen
- When
- May 6, 12:30 PM EST
- Where
- Bergen County, Paramus
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Coordinates
- 40.920, -73.920
Thunderstorm Wind, Passaic
- When
- May 6, 12:31 PM EST
- Where
- Passaic County, Clifton
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.870, -74.150
Thunderstorm Wind, Essex
- When
- May 6, 12:35 PM EST
- Where
- Essex County, Newark
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.730, -74.180
Thunderstorm Wind, Hudson
- When
- May 6, 12:38 PM EST
- Where
- Hudson County, Jersey City
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.720, -74.080
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.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Damaging Wind in New Jersey, May 6, 1997
- Tornado and Hail in New Mexico, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 6 to 27, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New York, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in New York, May 6, 1997
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in New York, May 6, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, May 6, 1997
More
Every storm in New Jersey in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, May 1997
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: 5610135, 5610136, 5610137, 5610138, 5610139, 5610140, 5610141, 5610142, 5610143.