The combination of a rapidly intensifying low pressure system and a strong cold frontal passage produced peak wind gusts of between 50 and 60 mph across New Jersey during the second half of the morning and throughout most of the afternoon of the 1st. The peak wind gusts occurred from the time of the cold frontal passage (between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. EST) into the first half of the afternoon. Some strong southwest winds preceded the cold frontal passage in southeastern New Jersey. Numerous weaker trees and limbs and subsequently power lines were knocked down. The wind strewed garbage and recycling pails. The wind damage was exacerbated by the recent wet weather which made the ground soft and the prolonged duration of the stronger winds. Over 25,000 homes and businesses lost power. In the northern half of New Jersey, in Sussex County, a downed tree fell onto a transmission line near a Vernon Township substation. This caused a prolonged outage within the township and closed the elementary and middle schools within the township. A billboard at the Mountain Creek Ski Resort was badly damaged.  In Hunterdon County, about 3,500 homes and businesses lost power. In Middlesex County, in Edison Township, the winds ripped a portion of a middle school's roof away. The wind also toppled a 25 foot by 30 foot separation wall in the bay area of a warehouse. In Dunellen Borough, a 50 foot tree crashed into a home and destroyed its bedroom. In Monmouth County, in Freehold, two utility poles fell onto a vehicle on U.S. Route 9. The driver was not injured, but the southbound lanes were closed for three hours. Construction material outside the Long Branch Middle School was blown onto neighboring properties. About 11,000 homes and businesses lost power in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. In the southern half of New Jersey, in Burlington County, busy U.S. Route 206 was closed in Southampton Township because of a downed tree. In Ocean County, a tree fell onto the roof of a home in Little Egg Harbor Township. In Camden County, one home was condemned in Cherry Hill after a tree fell through it. In Salem County, in Pilesgrove Township, the winds ripped a 25-foot tall cowboy statue in two. The statue was there for forty years. In Pennsville Township, a tree fell through the roof into the living room of one home. About 550 homes and businesses lost power in the county. In Cumberland County, at least eight utility poles were snapped by high winds on New Jersey State Route 77 in Upper Deerfield Township. In Vineland City, a couple of large trees were knocked down. One damaged a vehicle and the porch of a home.  In Millville City, a snapped power line crashed into a home. About 5,800 homes and businesses lost power. In neighboring Atlantic County, about 5,000 homes and businesses lost power. Peak wind gusts (from the west) included 62 mph in Marlton (Burlington County), 61 mph in Tabernacle (Burlington County), 56 mph at High Point State Park (Sussex County), 55 mph in Dunellen (Middlesex County), Cape May (Cape May County) and at the Atlantic City International Airport, 54 mph at the Atlantic City State Marina, 53 mph in Hammonton (Atlantic County), 52 mph in Belmar (Monmouth County), 51 mph in Barnegat (Ocean County), 49 mph in Trenton (Mercer County) and Millville (Cumberland County) and 40 mph in Morristown (Morris County). The winds were caused by the surface pressure difference (gradient) between a high pressure system building northeast from the Gulf Coast States and an intensifying low pressure system that moved northeast through the Saint Lawrence Valley on the 1st. The strongest winds aloft occurred during the daytime hours and this coincided with the maximum daytime heating. The turbulent mixing that normally occurs when these two conditions coincide, efficiently mixed the stronger winds to the ground.

High Wind in NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 11:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 54 MG
Property damage: 25K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

High Wind in SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 11:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 53 MG
Property damage: 25K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Strong Wind in MORRIS, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in SALEM, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 48 MG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 44 MG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in GLOUCESTER, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 MG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in WARREN, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in WESTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 48 MG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 MG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in WESTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 45 MG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in WESTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 EG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in CUMBERLAND, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 43 MG
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

High Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 50 EG
Property damage: 50K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Strong Wind in EASTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 01-DEC-04 10:00:00 to 01-DEC-04 18:00:00 (EST)
Magnitude: 47 MG
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER