Strong to damaging wind gusts affected New Jersey mainly during the evening of the 8th after a line of severe thunderstorms passed through southwest and northern New Jersey. The strong to high winds caused the PATCO high speed line to suspend commuter service for two hours between Philadelphia and Camden County. New Jersey Transit Trains also suspended service through the night of the 8th in Morris County because of downed trees. The combination of the severe storms and the strong to high winds which followed caused about 275,000 homes and businesses throughout the state to lose power. Power was not fully restored until the night of the 10th.
In Camden County, Interchange 3 on the New Jersey Turnpike was closed because a large tarp was blown off a water tower and onto the traffic lanes. In Gloucester County, the front porch of one home was damaged in Franklin Township. A pickup truck was blown over on Interstate 295. In Mercer County, residents in Lawrence Township and Trenton were among the last to get power restored. In Ocean County, a home under construction collapsed in the Chadwick Beach Section of Toms River (Dover Township). In Monmouth County, a trampoline was tossed. Colts Neck and Englishtown were among the last municipalities to have power restored. In Morris County, downed trees at 8 p.m. EST closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 287 in Morristown. Also in Morristown, residents along Garden Street did not get their power restored until the evening of the 10th.
While the highest wind gusts of the day occurred with the convective line of wind damage (please refer to the other stormdata entries for that information), some of the higher synoptic scale wind gusts included 66 mph in Hammonton (Atlantic County), 61 mph in Cream Ridge (Monmouth County), 56 mph in Upper Deerfield (Cumberland County), 55 mph in Cape May (Cape May County) and 50 mph at the Atlantic City International Airport (Atlantic County) and Point Pleasant (Ocean County).
The strong to high winds were caused by the pressure gradient or difference between the departing low pressure system that was moving into New England and a high pressure system approaching from the southwestern Gulf Coast states.

Strong Wind in CUMBERLAND, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 13:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 49.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SALEM, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 14:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 14:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 42.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 49.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:30:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in WARREN, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in WESTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 08-MAR-08 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind in CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 08-MAR-08 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

High Wind in WESTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 18:00:00 to 08-MAR-08 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 57.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind in GLOUCESTER, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 19:00:00 to 08-MAR-08 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind in WESTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 20:00:00 to 08-MAR-08 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind in MORRIS, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 20:00:00 to 08-MAR-08 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Strong Wind in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 13:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 48.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 08-MAR-08 13:00:00 to 09-MAR-08 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 48.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet