A strong cold frontal passage triggered severe thunderstorms across New Jersey on the afternoon of the 27th.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.
A strong cold frontal passage triggered severe thunderstorms across New Jersey on the afternoon of the 27th.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 27, 9:46 AM EST, 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 1046 AM EDT SUN JUL 27 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. THE FRONT WILL MOVE OFFSHORE ON MONDAY. A LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON WEDNESDAY WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION ON THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... A SURFACE ANALYSIS THIS MORNING SHOWS A COLD FRONT DRAPED FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK THROUGH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA, THEN BACK THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY. MEANWHILE, A PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH WAS ANALYZED FROM EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH VIRGINIA AND THE CAROLINAS. AN UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWS A SHARPENING TROUGH IN THE GREAT LAKES, WITH WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWING THIS FEATURE AMPLIFYING INTO THE NORTHEAST, WITH AN INITIAL SHORT WAVE FROM CENTRAL NEW YORK TO WEST VIRGINIA. AN UPPER-LEVEL JET IS POSITIONED FROM THE MIDWEST INTO THE MID ATLANTIC WITH A CYCLONICALLY CURVED JET BRUSHING WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. AS THE UPPER TROUGH CONTINUES TO SLIDE EASTWARD, HEIGHT FALLS WILL OCCUR ACROSS OUR AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THIS COMBINED WITH INCREASED LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE AND BUILDING INSTABILITY ON THE ORDER OF SOME 2500 J/KG WILL ALLOW FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION. GIVEN THE INCREASED MOISTURE, THERE HAS BEEN SOME MAINLY MID TO HIGH CLOUDS AROUND. A STABILITY ANALYSIS AT 14Z, COURTESY OF THE LAPS DATA, ALREADY HAS SOME 2000 J/KG OF SBCAPE FROM ABOUT TRENTON ON SOUTH AND WESTWARD /LESS RIGHT ALONG THE COAST/. THE INCOMING HEIGHT FALLS COMBINED WITH PLENTY OF INSTABILITY AND SOME SHEAR POINT TO AN INCREASING CONVECTIVE THREAT. ONE FOCUSING MECHANISM MAY BE THE PRE-FRONTAL SURFACE TROUGH JUST TO OUR WEST. OUR SEVERE WEATHER CHECKLIST SUGGESTS THAT DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT, HOWEVER WITH WET- BULB ZERO HEIGHTS NEAR THE UPPER RANGE /ABOUT 11000 FEET/, SEVERE HAIL IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE PROJECTED INSTABILITY PROFILES WHICH WOULD TEND TO ENHANCE UPDRAFT STRENGTHS. WITH MODEST WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT, THERE APPEARS TO BE ENOUGH SHEAR TO PROMOTE STORMS TO ORGANIZE INTO LINES WITH POSSIBLY EVEN SOME MIDLEVEL STORM ROTATION. THE 12Z RAOB FROM STERLING, VIRGINIA HAS -10C AIR AT 500 MB, RELATIVELY STEEP LAPSE RATES AND A WEAK CAP. THIS RAOB ALSO HAS A DRY LAYER JUST BELOW THE MIDLEVELS, AND IF THIS WERE TO REMAIN, CONVECTIVE DOWNDRAFTS COULD BE ENHANCED. IN SUMMARY, LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE MORE ROBUST CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. IN ADDITION, LOCAL DOWNPOURS WILL OCCUR WITH PW VALUES AROUND 1.5 INCHES AND GIVEN THE MOIST ATMOSPHERE, STORMS MAY TEND TO GENERATE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER /SPC/ CONTINUES WITH A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CWA. BASED ON THE ABOVE, WE MADE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST AS IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD WITH THE IDEA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING AND BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS. THE TIMING OF ACTUAL INITIATION THOUGH IS MORE DIFFICULT GIVEN SOME CLOUD COVER AROUND AT THE MOMENT, HOWEVER REGIONAL RADAR IMAGERY SHOWING SOME CELLS ALREADY STARTING TO DEVELOP. SPC HAS INCREASED THE PERCENTAGE OF HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS OUR AREA, THEREFORE WE DECIDED TO BUMP UP THE ENHANCED WORDING, AND WE ALSO ADDED FREQUENT LIGHTNING. BASED ON TEMPERATURE TRENDS SO FAR TODAY, WE CONTINUED TO LEAN MORE TOWARD THE WARMER GFS HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. THE HOURLY GRIDS WERE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND ANTICIPATED TRENDS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. WFO STERLING, VIRGINIA IS PLANNING TO LAUNCH A SPECIAL RAOB AROUND 18Z DUE TO THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER. THAT IS ALL FOR NOW. ALL THE UPDATED PRODUCTS WILL BE SENT SHORTLY. HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON AND KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... FEW CHANGES IN THIS PERIOD FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST PACKAGE. FOR TONIGHT, WE MAINLY CONFINE THE POPS TO THE EVENING PERIOD, AND WE SWITCH THE HIGHER POPS TO THE SOUTHEAST AS THE UPPER JET AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPULSE PUSH THROUGH. FOR MONDAY...WITH UPPER TROUGH STILL ROTATING THROUGH...WENT WITH WIDELY SCT CONVECTION DURING AFTERNOON...RAN HIGHER THAN MOS POP GUIDANCE. WX IS DRY FOR MONDAY NIGHT. ETA MOS STILL LOOKS TOO COOL WITH TOO MUCH CLOUD COVER AND WENT WITH WARMER GFS MOS FOR MON HIGH TEMP. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... VERY FEW CHANGES FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST IN THIS TIME PERIOD. TRENDED A LITTLE WARMER FOR WED IN DEFERENCE TO LATEST GFS MOS. THERE IS PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE LARGE SCALE PATTERN IN THE LONG TERM. AT MID LEVELS, THERE IS A MID LEVEL VORTEX OVER SOUTHEASTERN CANADA AND AN ASSOCIATED TROUGH DROPPING INTO OUR REGION. AT THE SURFACE, THERE IS AN ASSOCIATED BOUNDARY THAT HANGS AROUND THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. CONFIDENCE IN TIMING ENERGY ROTATING AROUND THE MID LEVEL FEATURE AND THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE BOUNDARY IS NOT TERRIBLY HIGH, BUT PER THE ECMWF AND ITS ENSEMBLE MEAN, WHICH MAKE UP THE BULK OF WHAT HPC AND WE HAVE USED, THE BEST CHANCE FOR ACTIVITY LOOKS TO BE IN THE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TO THURSDAY AFTERNOON TIME FRAME. OTHERWISE, ANY POPS WILL BE IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE RANGE AS PER THE LOW LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD ARE FORECAST TO BE AT OR A TAD ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION /14Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE TAFS WERE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE LATEST THINKING. IT APPEARS THAT A GOOD AMOUNT OF CONVECTION SHOULD DEVELOP ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT ARRIVES AND COMBINES WITH INSTABILITY AND UPPER-LEVEL SUPPORT. WE CHANGED TO A THUNDER MENTION AS OPPOSED TO SHOWERS AND A CB. GIVEN THE ATMOSPHERIC SET-UP THIS AFTERNOON, WE ADDED IN GUSTY WINDS IN A TEMPO GROUP WITH THUNDER AS SOME STORMS COULD BE RATHER GUSTY. IT IS STILL A BIT UNCLEAR ON HOW ORGANIZED STORMS CAN GET, BUT THEY MAY TEND TO DEVELOP INTO LINES. OTHERWISE, WE ARE EXPECTING THE LINGERING DEBRIS TYPE CLOUDS TO THIN SOME MORE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS WITH CUMULUS DEVELOPING WITH CONTINUED SURFACE HEATING AND DEW POINTS WELL INTO THE 60S TO NEAR 70. SOME OF THE MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGEST THAT THE STORMS TAPER OFF SOONER ESPECIALLY FOR KRDG AND KABE, THEREFORE WE TRIED TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THIS THINKING INTO THE UPDATED TAFS. GIVEN THE ATMOSPHERE SHOULD BE CONVECTIVELY OVERTURNED TONIGHT AND THE COLD FRONT SLIDES TO OUR EAST, CLOUD COVER IS EXPECTED TO BE ON THE DECREASE. A LIGHT SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WIND WILL INCREASE SOME THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, AND MAY TEND TO TURN MORE TO THE SOUTH MAINLY AT KACY FOR AWHILE. OUTLOOK... THE COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA AND THEN PROBABLY BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY THROUGH MIDWEEK. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MAY MOVE THROUGH LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY, POTENTIALLY BRINGING AN INCREASING CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .MARINE... SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE WATERS IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THIS FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING THEN MOVE OFF THE COAST. IT IS LIKELY TO STALL SOUTH OF THE AREA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG AND IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT, AIDED BY DAYTIME HEATING. LATEST WAVEWATCH DATA INDICATES THAT SEAS WILL REMAIN BELOW SCA CRITERIA, AND EVEN THOUGH WINDS WILL INCREASE IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT AS THE GRADIENT TIGHTENS, THEY SHOULD NOT REACH CRITERIA EITHER. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD IN FOR MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH MIDWEEK. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...SZATKOWSKI NEAR TERM...GORSE SHORT TERM...SZATKOWSKI LONG TERM...DELISI/SZATKOWSKI AVIATION...NIERENBERG/GORSE MARINE...NIERENBERG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 431 AM EDT SUN JUL 27 2008 DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055- 060>062-067>071-280845- NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD- QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET- MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER- CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY- ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN- SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON- CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA- 431 AM EDT SUN JUL 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHERN DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND THE STRONGER STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL, AS WELL AS FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED LATER TODAY. ANZ430-431-450>455-280845- DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM- 431 AM EDT SUN JUL 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND THE STRONGER STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL, AS WELL AS FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. MARINERS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE HARBOR QUICKLY AS THE STORMS DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SZATKOWSKI
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 51 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:34 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 5 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm tore down several trees across central Atlantic County. About 3,000 homes and businesses lost power in Atlantic County because of the damaging winds and lightning.
Lightning struck and killed a 38-year-old male and injured his two companions while they were walking on the beach at the Gateway recreation area in Sandy Hook. They were on Beach Area B when they were struck. An injured male and female were both in stable condition at a local hospital.
Penny size hail fell in Upper Township and in Ocean City.
A lightning strike caused an electrical fire to a house on Spray Avenue in Atlantic City. The lightning struck a metal chain under the house. The metal provided on conduit to the home's electrical box.
Two people were struck and injured by lightning on the First Avenue or Cotton Court Beach in Cape May City. A lifeguard and a juvenile female were struck, but never lost consciousness. Both were hospitalized for observation. The female was holding an umbrella and suffered a hand injury.
Pennsy size hail fell in Belmar.
Hail up to the sixe of quarters fell from a severe thunderstorm in Tinton Falls.
A severe thunderstorm partially tore off the roof of the EWA Model Car Center on U.S. Route 22 in Green Brook Township. The roof was partially hanging off the east side of the building. The debris and rain damaged the interior of the building. Some of the ceiling collapsed. The same severe thunderstorm tore down a few trees in North Plainfield.
Nickel size hail fell in West Deptford Township.
A severe thunderstorm downed trees and power lines in Marlborough Township.
A severe thunderstorm tore down a large tree onto a house in Collingswood Borough.
Large hail fell across northwest Camden County. Hail reached the size of golf balls in Brooklawn Borough. Quarter size hail fell in Mount Ephraim Borough and nickel size hail fell in Collingswood Borough.
A severe thunderstorm tore down a couple of large trees as well as wires in Hamilton Township in and around Quakerbridge Road. A large tree limb was also snapped in Ewing Township.
A severe thunderstorm dropped nickel size hail in Freehold Township.
A severe thunderstorm tore down several trees and wires across the northern part of Camden County from Haddonfield and Pennsauken east into Cherry Hill. About 16,000 Public Service Electric and Gas Customers lost power in the southern half of New Jersey. Hardest hit in Camden County was Pennsauken.
Penny to golf ball size hail fell in Woodbridge.
A severe thunderstorm tore down trees and wires in extreme northeast Middlesex County in Woodbridge and Pert Amboy. In the Port Reading section of Woodbridge. dozens of trees were knocked down. Two trees fell on homes, one damaged an automobile. A patio umbrella was tossed about 30 feet.
A severe thunderstorm tore down several trees, tree limbs and wires across central Burlington County. About 16,000 Public Service Electric and Gas Customers lost power in the southern half of New Jersey. Hardest hit in Burlington County were Medford and Southampton.
Lightning strikes caused house fires on Conover Road and Stevenson Drive in Marlboro Township.
A squall line of severe thunderstorms tore down several trees and wires across the northwest half of Gloucester County. About 1,600 residents lost power during the severe thunderstorm. In Public Service Electric and Gas service area hardest hit in Glucester County was Deptford Township.
Nickel size hail also fell in Millstone Township. A wind gust to 57 mph was measured in Cream Ridge at nearby Upper Freehold Township.
A lightning strike caused a fire to a Pine Street house in Camden. Firefighters were able to quickly bring the blaze under control. Fire and smoke damage were limited to the attic with water damage on the floors below. The fire originated in the attic after the lightning strike. The home was unoccupied.
A severe thunderstorm tore down a few trees in the city of Bridgeton. One fell onto New Jersey State Route 49.
Penny size hail was reported in Colts Neck Township.
A severe thunderstorm caused tree damage in Neptune Township. Severe thunderstorms throughout the afternoon combined to cause about 12,000 homes and businesses to lose power in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties.
The same severe thunderstorm knocked down several large tree limbs in the city of Vineland.
A Skywarn spotter observed nickel size hail in Seaville (Dennis Township).
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Monmouth | 2008-07-27 | 38 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Jersey in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in New Jersey, July 2008
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: 128722, 124995, 124994, 128726, 125029, 125030, 125153, 125157, 125173, 128732, 125175, 125176, 125159, 125181, 125215, 125210, 128740, 130212, 128736, 125179, 125183, 128764, 125220, 125187, 125211, 125222, 125226.