UPDATE (5:10 p.m.): Tornado warnings issued as severe thunderstorms slam state
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for 16 counties in New Jersey and all of eastern Pennsylvania, with a line of fierce thunderstorms creeping closer to our region Thursday afternoon.
The tornado watch — which isn’t as urgent as a tornado warning — indicates some of the storm cells that move in could be strong enough to cause rotation in the atmosphere and spawn a funnel cloud. The watch was issued at 2:25 p.m. and remains active until 9 p.m. in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties.
Forecasters are expecting strong thunderstorms to hit New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening, with the bulk of the storms arriving between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and clearing out between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
In addition to posing a potential tornado threat, some of the thunderstorms could be strong enough to produce damaging straight-line winds, large hail, frequent lightning and flash flooding, forecasters say.
A tornado watch is not as urgent as a tornado warning, but residents should remain alert as stormy weather arrives.National Weather Service
The thunderstorms that are expected to move across New Jersey are part of the same weather system that has been pounding parts of the Midwest with torrential downpours and winds gusting close to 80 mph, forecasters from AccuWeather said.
Although the storms in New Jersey might not be as strong as those in the Midwest, some cells “have the potential to bring wind gusts between 60 and 90 mph,” AccuWeather says. “At this intensity, trees can be knocked over, property damage can occur and trucks and mobile homes might be flipped over. But, even with more common gusts between 40 and 60 mph, tree branches can break, and loose items such as trash cans, lawn furniture, tents and beach umbrellas can be sent airborne.”
Most of New Jersey is now under an elevated risk of getting hit with severe thunderstorms, some of which could spawn an isolated tornado. Elevated is the third highest of five threat levels and not too common in New Jersey.National Weather Service
Earlier Thursday afternoon, a tornado warning was issued near Stockley, Delaware, about 20 miles southwest of Rehoboth Beach, after a funnel cloud was spotted by people in the area. Another tornado warning was issued shortly after 4 p.m. for parts of Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties in eastern Pennsylvania, then another one was issued for Lehigh and Northampton counties shortly before 4:30 p.m.
In addition, the National Weather Service said a waterspout was spotted about 5 miles north of Bethany Beach, near the Indian River Inlet, in Delaware.
It’s not immediately known if any tornadoes touched down on the ground or caused any significant damage.
Note: Our staff at NJ.com will be monitoring the progress of Thursday’s storms and will post updates if warnings are issued in New Jersey or if power outages become widespread.
For the most current weather warnings and advisories in New Jersey, check this link. Additional updates can be found on the National Weather Service website for most of New Jersey and the Philadelphia region and the National Weather Service website for northeastern New Jersey and New York City.
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Current weather radar
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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com.