Damaging Winds in New Jersey, May 18, 2000

As a line containing severe thunderstorms swept southeast across the region, it produced damaging wind gusts, torrential rain, small hail (less than 0.75 inch in diameter) and lightning.In Bergen County, a spotter reported trees and power lines down in Wyckoff, where a man was trapped in his car by a fallen tree. A spotter from Fair Lawn measured a wind gust to 58 mph.In Passaic County, a spotter reported downed trees and wires in Wayne.In Essex County, spotters reported downed trees at both Caldwell and East Orange. In East Orange, a tree fell on and injured a man on 64 Fourth Avenue.In Union County, a potential microburst occurred in Plainfield, where peak wind gusts were estimated near 90 mph. Several trees and power lines were downed. Some trees toppled onto cars, while a few trees went through houses. High winds ripped the roof from the Clinton Corners strip mall on West Seventh Street, damaging six or seven stores. Spotters measured wind gusts to 75 mph in Summit and Berkeley Heights. In Scotch Plains, spotters reported large tree limbs down.