60-MPH Wind Gusts In NJ Rip Down Trees, Leave Thousands Without Power

ACROSS NEW JERSEY — More than 28,000 homes and businesses remained without power on Monday afternoon after strong winds blasted New Jersey, uprooting trees, damaging power lines and flinging trampolines and other backyard items into neighboring yards.

More than 21,000 customers of Jersey Central Power & Light remained without service as of 2 p.m. Sunday, more than 18 hours after wind gusts in the 60-mph range that accompanied a storm front moving across the state.

PSE&G was reporting 5,195 as of 2 p.m. and Atlantic City Electric was reporting 2,135, according to the companies' websites. Orange and Rockland, which covers a small portion of the northern piece of New Jersey, was reporting about 200 customers without electric service.

The National Weather Service reported top gusts as of 10 p.m. Saturday of 71 mph in Atlantic City, 66 mph at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, 65 mph at Island Beach State Park, 63 mph in Sea Girt in Monmouth County, 61 in Seaside Heights and Berkeley Township, and 60 in Trenton, Moorestown and Rancocas. (See the full list at the bottom of this article.)

On Sunday, numerous sites reported top gusts of 50 mph or more in several towns, topped by 56 mph in Beach Haven.

Trees and power lines remained down in many areas and many towns have opened warming centers for residents as temperatures across the state remain in the mid-30s.

Parts of Route 30, Route 130 and Route 38 all remained closed Monday afternoon due to downed wires and utility poles, the state Department of Transportation said, and empty tractor-trailers were banned from crossing the bridges from New Jersey to Pennsylvania because of the continuing winds.

In Holmdel, police reported a tree crashed through the roof of a home, leaving the home unsafe. None of the three people inside were injured.

"Holmdel Township has experienced numerous trees and wires down during this wind event," police said, warning residents to stay away from downed trees and power lines.

Glen Rock authorities responded to a home with a tree on it Sunday evening that also damaged a vehicle. That house was declared unsafe as well, authorities said.

In Manchester, the Whiting Volunteer Fire Company shared a photo of a tree on a home and reported responding to multiple calls related to the storm on Sunday and Monday. They urged drivers to be cautious while traveling because of the hazards.

Cherry Hill police were reporting multiple road closures on Monday afternoon as a result of downed trees and wires. "Please seek alternate routes and avoid the area if possible," police said. PSE&G and the Department of Public Works will continue to address the issues. We will provide updates as more information becomes available. Thank you for your patience and cooperation."

In Brick Township, the wind gusts Sunday evening sent trampolines flying. Resident Mike Rozza learned the trampoline he bought for his son a year ago had been flung into the street.

Rozza learned about it when a Brick Township police officer knocked on his door about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, he wrote in a post on Facebook, "asking me if I lost a trampoline."

"I had no idea it was gone," Rozza said. The trampoline was 200 yards down the street, and the officer, whom Rozza said was named John and in car 6, offered to help him get the trampoline back to his home.

"It’s freezing out the wind is insane," Rozza said. "I have no idea how I would have gotten this thing back to my house." The officer helped him carry the trampoline back to the house and then helped him break it down "so it would fit in the garage and not keep flying around," Rozza said, calling him a good guy. "Thanks John car 6! And thanks Brick Township Police Department. Thank you!"

Here are the top wind gusts recorded as of 10 p.m. Sunday across New Jersey:

ATLANTIC
Atlantic City 71 MPH
Atlantic City 64 MPH
2 ESE Pleasantville 58 MPH
Pleasantville Point 52 MPH
BRIGANTINE 47 MPH
Egg Harbor Twp. 47 MPH
Egg Harbor City 45 MPH
Hammonton 45 MPH

BURLINGTON
Moorestown 60 MPH
1 NNE Rancocas 60 MPH
McGuire AFB 55 MPH
LUMBERTON 52 MPH
Oswego Lake 52 MPH
Silas Little 46 MPH

CAMDEN
1 NE Pennsauken 50 MPH

CAPE MAY
Cape May 52 MPH
Ocean City 51 MPH

CUMBERLAND
Fortescue 55 MPH
Millville 54 MPH
Upper Deerfield 51 MPH

GLOUCESTER
Kingsway Regional HS 56 MPH
West Deptford 46 MPH

HUNTERDON
Pittstown 47 MPH
Teetertown 45 MPH

MERCER
Trenton 60 MPH

MIDDLESEX
Perth Amboy 51 MPH

MONMOUTH
Sea Girt 63 MPH
Keyport 59 MPH
Belmar Farmdale 58 MPH
Cream Ridge 51 MPH
SEA BRIGHT 51 MPH
Monmouth 49 MPH
Oceanport 48 MPH
FREEHOLD 45 MPH

MORRIS
Randolph 47 MPH

OCEAN
Lakehurst NAS 66 MPH
1 S Island Beach State Park 65 MPH
Mantoloking 62 MPH
Berkeley Twp. 61 MPH
Seaside Heights 61 MPH
Beach Haven 57 MPH
Toms River 56 MPH
Tuckerton 55 MPH
North Beach Haven 53 MPH
Rutgers 53 MPH
Harvey Cedars 51 MPH
Surf City 50 MPH
Trixies 48 MPH
South Seaside Park 47 MPH
Lakewood 46 MPH
2 WNW Manchester Twp 46 MPH
Brick 45 MPH
Cedar Bridge USFS 45 MPH
North Beach 45 MPH

SALEM
Mannington Twp. 45 MPH

SUSSEX
2 N Hardyston Twp 51 MPH

WARREN
Stewartsville 49 MPH