A rapidly intensifying low pressure system caused strong northwest winds to occur across Eastern New Jersey and over the higher terrain of Sussex County from the middle of the evening on the 7th through the early morning on the 8th. Peak wind gusts averaged around 50 mph. Combined with the heavy rain, the strong winds downed tree limbs, shallow rooted trees and caused widely scattered power outages.
Peak wind gusts included 57 mph in Cape May (Cape May County), 53 mph in West Cape May (Cape May County), 52 mph in Barnegat (Ocean County), 51 mph in Tuckerton and Brick (Ocean County), 50 mph in Seaside Heights (Ocean County), 49 mph in Wantage (Sussex County), 48 mph in Keansburg (Monmouth County), 47 mph in Atlantic City (Atlantic County) and Belmar (Monmouth County), 46 mph at the Atlantic City International Airport (Atlantic County) and 43 mph in Bivalve (Cumberland County). The strong winds were caused by the increasing circulation around the same low pressure system that brought heavy rain to the state. The low intensified from 1007 millibars over western North Carolina at 7 a.m. EST on the 7th, to 996 millibars over Delaware and Virginia at 7 p.m. EST on the 7th, to 989 millibars over Long Island at 1 a.m. EST on the 8th to 978 millibars over Eastport, Maine at 7 a.m. EST on the 8th. The 29 millibar drop in 24 hours qualified it for the meteorological definition of a bombing low pressure system and was the main reason for the strong winds. While the low continued to intensify (it was down to 963 millibars at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River at 1 p.m. EST on the 8th), it moved far enough away from New Jersey so that the strong winds subsided after the sun rose on the 8th.

Strong Wind in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 21:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 49.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Coast Guard

Strong Wind in EASTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 22:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 41.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: C-MAN Station

Strong Wind in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 21:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 46.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: C-MAN Station

Strong Wind in WESTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 22:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 44.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in CUMBERLAND, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 21:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 22:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in WESTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 22:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Strong Wind in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 08-DEC-11 01:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in WESTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 22:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 42.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 22:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-DEC-11 22:00:00 to 08-DEC-11 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 45.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: C-MAN Station