Tornado Causes Damage In Hazlet Township, NWS Says

HAZLET TOWNSHIP, NJ — A tornado touched down briefly Friday in New Jersey and caused minor damage over a nearly mile-long stretch between Hazlet Township and Aberdeen Township, according to a survey conducted by the National Weather Service.

The tornado reached estimated winds of 85 mph and moved on an east-northeast track for nearly a mile, the agency said.

The tornado formed around 5:09 p.m. between Strathmore Township and Hazlet Township, where the storm caused damage to trees, utility poles and power lines near Sophia Drrive and Line Road, according to the agency.

The storm caused cosmetic damage to at least a dozen homes in a neighborhood between Sophia Drive and Carlow Way, the most extensive damage of the tornado. Some of the damage included vinyl siding and roof shingles being blown off as well as damage to soffits and gutters. A tree fell on a home, causing some roof damage. Several other trees were uprooted, and several sections of fence were blown over, according to the National Weather Service.

The tornado moved east-northeast, causing some minor damage in residential areas near Park View Drive as well as the intersections of Linda Place, Beers Street and Rutgers Street. The tornado caused more damage to trees before it dissipated along Bedle Road near Indian Court, the agency said.