A warm front retreating to the north and a cold front approaching from the west produced strong to severe thunderstorms across New Jersey during the afternoon and early evening of the 29th. One EF-2 tornado also occurred. The wind damage and lightning resulted in about 57,000 homes and businesses in losing power.

Hail in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 13:05:00 to 29-JUL-09 13:05:00 (EST-5)
Location: SOUTH PLAINFIELD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm dropped quarter size hail in South Plainfield.

Hail in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 12:39:00 to 29-JUL-09 12:39:00 (EST-5)
Location: SKILLMAN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Nickel size hail fell from a severe thunderstorm along the Skillman (Montgomery Township) and Hillsborough Township border.

Lightning in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 13:00:00 to 29-JUL-09 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: SAYREVILLE
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

A house was struck by lightning in Sayreville.

Thunderstorm Wind in CUMBERLAND, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 17:25:00 to 29-JUL-09 17:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: VINELAND
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm tore down trees in Vineland.

Thunderstorm Wind in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 16:12:00 to 29-JUL-09 16:17:00 (EST-5)
Location: WILLINGBORO
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm tore down scores of trees in Willingboro Township. A few fell on homes, vehicles and wires and damaged them. A family on Pennypack Drive was displaced because of damage from a downed tree. Some trees and wires were also knocked down in neighboring Burlington Township and Burlington City. About 20,000 homes and businesses lost power from the pair of severe thunderstorms that moved through the county that afternoon and evening.

Thunderstorm Wind in ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 17:30:00 to 29-JUL-09 17:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: BUENA
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm tore down numerous trees and wires across the extreme northwest part of Atlantic County in Buena Borough as well as Buena Vista and Hammonton Townships. In Buena, downed trees damaged a few vehicles and siding was torn off a couple of homes. In Hammonton, heavy patio furniture was blown down the street from one home and windows were damaged at another home.

Thunderstorm Wind in ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 17:40:00 to 29-JUL-09 17:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: FOLSOM
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm also tore down numerous trees in Folsom Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 13:05:00 to 29-JUL-09 13:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: EDISON
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm caused wind damage across the northern tier of Middlesex County from Edison through Pert Amboy. Several trees and limbs were knocked down in Edison. There were eight calls about wind and lightning damage in Pert Amboy. Some large tree limbs were also knocked down in Woodbridge and Carteret. About 8,000 homes and businesses lost power in the county.

Thunderstorm Wind in CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 17:38:00 to 29-JUL-09 17:38:00 (EST-5)
Location: WINSLOW
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm damaged a cell phone tower and knocked down numerous trees in Winslow Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in GLOUCESTER, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 17:40:00 to 29-JUL-09 17:41:00 (EST-5)
Location: PINEY HOLLOW ARPT
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A severe thunderstorm tore down several trees in the Collings Lake area of Monroe Township. Downed trees were reported on Cainsmill Road, Collings Drive, Francis Lane and Hospitality Avenue.

Tornado in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 13:48:00 to 29-JUL-09 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: LIBERTYVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 800.00K
Crop damage: 200.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-2 tornado touched down in Wantage Township at about 248 p.m. EDT on the 29th. It was the first confirmed tornado in Sussex County since August of 1990, the first tornado of F2 or EF2 strength ever in the county since records started in 1950 and the first tornado to reach EF2 or F2 strength in New Jersey since the Manalapan tornado of May 27, 2001. The tornado remained on the ground for 6.6 miles before it crossed the border into New York State. Its maximum width was about 100 yards and its highest estimated wind speed was 120 mph. The tornado damaged thousands of trees, decimated acres of farmland and some rural property.
The tornado touched down near the intersection of Route 519 and Rutgers Road, then crossed Libertyville Road, Snoyer Road and Ramsey Road, producing minor tree and limb damage along the way.  More substantial damage, mainly in the form of downed trees and some minor structural damage, occurred after the tornado crossed New Jersey State Route 23 near its intersection with Unionville Road and Rose Morrow Road. The worst damage of the entire tornado occurred along Beemer Road and on the north side of New Jersey State Route 23.  Substantial damage occurred to the Ricker Farm, as two barns and one silo were destroyed. Two other barns suffered severe wind damage. Some minor damage also occurred to the adjacent farmhouse. Pieces of one barn roof were found three quarters of a mile away. A two week old calf was killed by the flying debris, two others were thrown fifty feet, but not seriously hurt. Damage estimates for the Ricker farm reached as high as $500,000.
Hundreds of trees were felled further north along Beemer Road, and power was out for several hours as power lines were brought down by the tornado and falling trees.  The tornado weakened after it crossed Wolfpit Road and Black Dirt Road on its way into New York State. On Wolfpit Road, it ripped the porch from a home and lifted a boat and carried it one quarter of a mile away.  A vineyard in the township was also damaged. The tornado crossed into Orange County, New York near Quarry Road as an EF-1.  No other deaths or injuries were reported from this tornado.

Thunderstorm Wind in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 17:55:00 to 29-JUL-09 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: TABERNACLE
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous large tree limbs in Tabernacle and Southampton Townships.

Thunderstorm Wind in MORRIS, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 13:05:00 to 29-JUL-09 13:05:00 (EST-5)
Location: MORRISTOWN
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm tore down a couple of trees and large tree limbs in Morristown.

Lightning in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 13:15:00 to 29-JUL-09 13:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: PERTH AMBOY
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A lightning strike in Pert Amboy downed a wire. The wire set two vehicles on fires. No injuries were reported.

Lightning in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-09 12:22:00 to 29-JUL-09 12:22:00 (EST-5)
Location: PATTENBURG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A lightning strike damaged the bell tower on top of the Pattenburg United Methodist Church. A gaping hole was made in the top of it.