High Wind and Strong Wind in New Jersey, October 28, 2008

Name: High Wind and Strong Wind in New Jersey, October 28, 2008
Start: 2008-10-28T11:00
End: 2008-10-28T19:00
Location: New Jersey

October 28, 2008 · NWS PHI · 21 events in 21 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2.8 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 21

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 PHI wrote it up.

Gusty northwest winds that reached as high as 66 mph occurred from the late morning into the early evening across New Jersey. The combination of the strong to high winds, heavy wet snow and trees still with leaves caused widespread outages in Northwest New Jersey. About 105,000 homes and business lost power throughout the state. Northwest New Jersey took the brunt of the hit as Jersey Central Power and Light reported about 80,000 homes and businesses lost power. It took until the 31st for power to get fully restored. Even in places where there was no snow, scattered power outages (25,000 additional homes and businesses) occurred.

In Morris County, Washington, Mount Olive and Jefferson Townships were hit the hardest. More than 10,000 homes and businesses lost power in those townships. There were still 5,500 without power in Washington Township on the 29th. In Washington Township, about 25 roads were closed because of downed trees. Police responded to ten times the average number of calls and there were 1,500 weather related responses in all. In Mount Olive Township, there were about 1,000 police calls and thirty reports of property damage. In Randolph Township, a downed Bradford Pear tree damaged a home. Some schools were closed on the 29th because of either closed roads or power outages.

In Hunterdon County, Lebanon Township was hardest hit with a dozen major roads closed, some through the 31st. One school district was also closed through the 31st. Shower facilities were made available by the township for residents who lost power. In Glen Gardner, one home caught on fire after its occupants used its fireplace to try to keep warm. More than 10,000 homes and businesses lost power in Califon, Clifton, Flemington, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge and Readington.

In Warren County, Hackettstown was hardest hit with power outages (about 7,000) as over 20,000 county residents lost power in Allamuchy, Hackettstown, Independence, Liberty and Mansfield. A shelter was opened at the Mansfield Township Elementary School. Hotels were booked solid. The county responded to about 600 emergency calls. Numerous roads were blocked by downed trees including U.S. Route 46. In Sussex County, there were 443 weather related calls in Sparta Township alone. New Jersey State Route 15 was closed during the afternoon.

In Central New Jersey, about 9,000 homes and businesses lost power. In Princeton (Mercer County), U.S. Route 206 was closed because of downed wires. In Camden County, a few schools dismissed children early after power was lost. About 1,100 homes and businesses lost power in the county.

Wind damage increased in the southern part of the state as this was the area with the highest reported wind gusts. County Route 553 was closed between Gloucester County and Salem County because of downed trees and wires. About 2,700 homes and businesses lost power in Gloucester County. In Salem County, about 1,400 homes and businesses lost power. The strong winds also sent waves from the Delaware River crashing over the sea wall at the Pennsville Riverview Beach Park. In Atlantic County, about 530 homes and businesses lost power. U.S. Route 9 in Absecon was closed because of a downed tree and the eastbound lanes of U.S. Route 30 (The Whitehorse Pike) was closed in Mullica Township because of downed wires. In Cape May County, part of the roof was blown off the Beach Terrace Motor Inn in Wildwood. The Cape May Zoo was closed because of the high winds. About 4,000 homes and businesses lost power. Cumberland County took the hardest hit in the southern part of the state as about 6,200 homes and businesses lost power. Power was not fully restored until the 29th. A downed tree on a substation in the western part of the county accounted for outages to 2,000 customers. Shingles were torn from homes in Maurice River Township. A downed tree damaged the roof of the Vineland Free Library. About 2,400 homes and businesses lost power. Downed trees and wires closed New Jersey State Route 47 in Maurice River Township, New Jersey State Route 55 in Millville and the westbound lanes of New Jersey State Route 49 in Millville.

Peak wind gusts include 66 mph in Cape May (Cape May County), 59 mph at the Cape May Ferry Terminal (Cape May County), 52 mph at High Point (Sussex County), 50 mph in Hammonton (Atlantic County), Barnegat Light (Ocean County), Wildwood (Cape May County) and the Atlantic City International Airport, 48 mph in Newport (Cumberland County), 47 mph in Keansburg (Monmouth County) and Millville (Cumberland County) and 44 mph at the Atlantic City Marina. The peak wind gusts occurred during the middle of the afternoon on the 28th as the pressure gradient (difference) tightened quickly between the departing and intensifying low pressure system moving into New England and a high pressure system moving east from the central United States.

A low pressure system developed on the stalled front over North Carolina on the afternoon of the 27th. It slowly moved northeast and intensified rapidly. By 2 a.m. EDT on the 28th it was just off the New Jersey Coast and had a central pressure of 1003 millibars. At 8 a.m. EDT on the 28th, the low pressure system was approaching central Long Island, New York and the pressure lowered to 995 millibars. It proceeded to move northeast and was a 989 millibar low pressure system near Hartford, Connecticut at 2 p.m. EDT on the 28th and a 986 millibar low pressure system along the northern Vermont and New Hampshire border at 8 p.m. EDT on the 28th. By evening this low pressure system was far enough away that winds decreased.

What forecasters said that day

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 Oct 28, 8:22 AM EST, 2 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 28, 8:22 AM EST, 2 hours 38 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 28, 8:52 AM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 28, 5:28 AM EST, 5 hours 32 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
628 AM EDT TUE OCT 28 2008

DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-
055-060>062-067>071-281830-
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-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILMINGTON...DOVER...GEORGETOWN...
REHOBOTH BEACH...ELKTON...CHESTERTOWN...CENTREVILLE...EASTON...
DENTON...NEWTON...WASHINGTON...MORRISTOWN...FLEMINGTON...
SOMERVILLE...NEW BRUNSWICK...FREEHOLD...SANDY HOOK...TRENTON...
PENNSVILLE...GLASSBORO...CAMDEN...CHERRY HILL...MOORESTOWN...
MOUNT HOLLY...JACKSON...MILLVILLE...HAMMONTON...
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE...OCEAN CITY...ATLANTIC CITY...
LONG BEACH ISLAND...WHARTON STATE FOREST...JIM THORPE...
STROUDSBURG...READING...ALLENTOWN...BETHLEHEM...WEST CHESTER...
NORRISTOWN...DOYLESTOWN...MEDIA...PHILADELPHIA
628 AM EDT TUE OCT 28 2008

...STRONG LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING WET...RAW AND WINDY WEATHER TO
THE REGION...

AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG LOW PRESSURE WILL INTENSIFY OFF THE NEW JERSEY
COAST THIS MORNING AND TRACK ACROSS LONG ISLAND AND INTO NEW ENGLAND
TONIGHT.

PRECIPITATION...
RAIN WAS FALLING ACROSS MOST AREAS EXCEPT FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS
OF NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY WHERE SNOW WAS
FALLING. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE TODAY INTO THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS ON WEDNESDAY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS
BEEN POSTED MAINLY FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THOSE AREAS. THIS
STORM WILL PULL COLD AIR INTO THE REGION AND DEPENDING UPON THE
TRACK COULD CHANGE SOME OF THE RAIN OVER TO SNOW SOONER THAN FORECAST
AND RESULT IN ACCUMULATING SNOWS ELSEWHERE.

TEMPERATURES...
HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR
THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE MID 30S IN THE POCONOS
AND NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY TO AROUND 50 OVER THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES.

WINDS...
THE WINDS WILL BE A FACTOR TODAY WITH WIND ADVISORIES POSTED FOR
MOST LOCATIONS EXCEPT HIGH WIND WARNINGS MAINLY FOR THE COUNTIES
ALONG THE COAST AND DELAWARE BAY INTO MARYLANDS NORTHEAST SHORE.
INLAND WINDS WILL GUST BETWEEN 40 AND 45 MPH AND COULD GUST TO 60
MPH AT TIMES IN THE WARNING AREA.

PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR ADDITIONAL FORECAST UPDATES AND STATEMENTS
ISSUED LATER TODAY.

EBERWINE

Special weather statement, Oct 28, 9:38 AM EST, 1 hour 22 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Oct 28, 9:51 AM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Oct 28, 10:16 AM EST, 44 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 strong wind, 3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Salem

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Salem forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.577, -75.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Gloucester

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Gloucester forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.717, -75.142 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Camden

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Camden forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.804, -74.960 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northwestern Burlington

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Northwestern Burlington forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.878, -74.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Southeastern Burlington

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Southeastern Burlington forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.878, -74.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Atlantic

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Western Atlantic forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 39.469, -74.634 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Ocean

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Ocean forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Ocean

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Western Ocean forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.866, -74.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Atlantic

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Atlantic forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.469, -74.634 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Mercer

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.283, -74.702 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Middlesex

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Middlesex forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.440, -74.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Eastern Monmouth

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Monmouth forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Somerset

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Somerset forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.564, -74.616 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Western Monmouth

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Western Monmouth forecast zone
Measured: 41 kt (47 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 40.288, -74.158 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Hunterdon

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Hunterdon forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.567, -74.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Warren

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.857, -74.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Morris

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Morris forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1.0 million
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.862, -74.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Sussex

When: October 28, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Sussex forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.140, -74.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cumberland

When: October 28, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Cumberland forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.328, -75.129 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Western Cape May

When: October 28, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Western Cape May forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Eastern Cape May

When: October 28, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Cape May forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 39.085, -74.850 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Jersey in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in New Jersey, October 2008

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 138555, 138556, 138557, 138558, 138559, 138560, 138561, 138562, 138563, 138564, 138565, 138566, 138567, 138568, 138569, 138570, 138571, 138572, 138552, 138553, 138554.