Severe Thunderstorms Knock Out Power to Tens of Thousands Across New Jersey

Severe Thunderstorms Knock Out Power to Tens of Thousands Across New Jersey

Powerful thunderstorms tore across New Jersey Saturday evening, bringing damaging winds, intense lightning, and heavy downpours that left tens of thousands of residents without electricity.

The fast-moving storms swept through multiple parts of the state, knocking down trees and power lines while creating dangerous travel conditions during the evening hours. Utility companies reported widespread outages as strong wind gusts caused extensive damage to electrical infrastructure.

Communities across Central and North Jersey were among the hardest hit, with emergency crews responding to numerous calls for fallen branches, wires down, and flooded roadways. In several neighborhoods, entire streets were left in darkness as the storms moved through.

Residents described booming thunder, nonstop lightning, and torrential rain during the height of the storm. Social media quickly filled with photos and videos showing toppled trees, damaged fences, and large branches blocking roads.

Meteorologists warned ahead of the storms that conditions were favorable for severe weather as hot, humid air combined with an approaching cold front. Some areas reportedly experienced wind gusts strong enough to snap tree limbs and cause scattered structural damage.

Over 57,000 consumers throughout the state lost power just before 10 p.m.

Utility crews worked overnight to restore service to affected customers, though some outages could continue into Sunday depending on the extent of the damage. Officials are urging residents to avoid downed power lines and use caution when traveling in storm-damaged areas. Drivers are also reminded to treat intersections with non-working traffic lights as four-way stops. Additional unsettled weather remains possible over the next several days, with more showers and thunderstorms in the forecast for parts of the Garden State.