Some interesting and unusual weather has been making its way through the area – this following a surprisingly mild winter and temperatures reaching the 70s this week. On Saturday, April 1st, intense weather passed through the Hudson County area and one photographer captured a picture worth over a million views. Other areas of New Jersey were impacted by the storm, and a record-setting seven tornadoes were confirmed in Southern and Central New Jersey. Read on for more about the record-setting weather and how to be prepared for tornadoes.
(Photo Credit: Gary Hershorn)
April 1st Storm Captured on Film
The storm on April 1st originated in the Midwest and arrived in New Jersey in the early evening. The storm was incredibly strong and fast-moving. Saturday night, as thunder and lightning rolled through the Northern NJ and NYC area, professional photographer Gary Hershorn captured lighting striking the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan. His picture shows the lightning bolts spanning across both the NYC and Jersey City skylines. Though Port Authority of NY + NJ reports that lower Manhattan gets hit by lightning at least 20 times each year, it is not often caught on camera. Gary’s picture attracted more than 1.1 million views on Twitter.
According to NJ.com, by the time residents got severe weather alerts on their phones, it was only 15 minutes until the storms arrived. Over 16,000 customers lost electrical power, and several schools in the impacted areas were closed on the Monday following the storm.
Read more: Construction on the Resiliency Park at 800 Monroe Street Will Restrict Parking
A state of emergency was declared in several locations. Six Flags Great Adventure was closed, in addition to several other businesses and attractions.
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The April 1st storm follows an unsettled few months of winter. According to the Rutgers NJ Weather Network, the 2022-2023 winter was among the driest and mildest on record in New Jersey. A tornado was reported in February 2023, only the fifth time since 1950, when official record-taking began. The tornado touched down in Mercer County on February 21st and was an EF-2 with winds reaching 115 miles per hour. There were no fatalities, but several dozen people were displaced from their homes by the damage.
Record-Setting
According to the National Weather Service, seven tornadoes were confirmed in New Jersey. All the storms were EF-1 or EF-2, with winds reaching 130 miles per hour. The same storm generated one tornado each in Pennsylvania and Delaware, and one fatality was caused by the storm in Delaware. There were no fatalities in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey due to the storm.
See more: New Jersey Beaches to Visit in Winter
The locations with confirmed tornadoes in New Jersey are Cinnaminson-Delran-Moorestown; Crosswicks; Mays Landing; Jackson Township; Sea Girt; Allentown-Cream Ridge; and Jackson-Howell Township.
🌪️ We’ve confirmed an EF-1 tornado in Mays Landing from Saturday night. Here is an updated list of all the damage survey results. We will work on posting tornado path maps as time allows. You can find detailed survey information here: https://t.co/LfQ4i31Mqr #NJwx #DEwx #PAwx pic.twitter.com/sJlURuONW8
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) April 4, 2023
New Jersey averages two tornadoes per year, according to the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist, part of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.
How to Prepare
According to the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, tornado season is typically March through August, and tornadoes generally occur in the afternoon and evening.
REMINDER…With severe weather moving across the state, know what to do if there’s a #tornado watch or warning in your area.#ReadyNJ
⤵️⤵️⤵️ pic.twitter.com/7qc5ukgSqd
— NJOEM🇺🇸 (@ReadyNJ) April 1, 2023
The OEM advises residents to be prepared to take action to protect themselves during a tornado. Preparedness starts with having a plan for what to do in an emergency and staying informed about changing weather conditions. Once a tornado is reported, residents should get to a safe, indoor place. After the tornado, residents should be careful of debris and live electrical wires that may have been torn down during the storm.
Up next, hurricane season begins officially on June 1st.
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