An approaching back door cold front (from the north) and an unseasonably hot as well as humid air mass combined to trigger scattered strong to severe thunderstorms mainly in the northern half of New Jersey on the afternoon and evening of the 18th. About 30,500 Public Service Electric & Gas and Jersey Central Power & Light customers lost power, mainly in the northern half of New Jersey.

Hail in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 12:20:00 to 18-JUL-12 12:20:00 (EST-5)
Location: SUSSEX
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Nickel size hail fell in Sussex.

Hail in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 14:30:00 to 18-JUL-12 14:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: ANDOVER
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Nickel size hail fell in Andover.

Hail in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 15:48:00 to 18-JUL-12 15:48:00 (EST-5)
Location: WOODS TAVERN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Nickel size hail fell in Hillsborough Township.

Hail in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 16:24:00 to 18-JUL-12 16:24:00 (EST-5)
Location: FT PLAINS
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Penny size hail fell in Howell Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:46:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:46:00 (EST-5)
Location: SAYREVILLE JCT
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees and wires in Sayreville Borough. Wind damage was centered on three blocks in and around Kendall Drive in the borough.

Thunderstorm Wind in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 14:30:00 to 18-JUL-12 14:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: ANDOVER
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: 911 Call Center

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees and wires in Andover Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in WARREN, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 14:44:00 to 18-JUL-12 14:44:00 (EST-5)
Location: BUTTZVILLE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a couple of trees and wires along and across U.S. Route 46 in White Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 15:35:00 to 18-JUL-12 15:35:00 (EST-5)
Location: RARITAN
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several large tree limbs and wires in Raritan.

Thunderstorm Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 16:01:00 to 18-JUL-12 16:01:00 (EST-5)
Location: PERTH AMBOY
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm produced estimated with gusts of 60 mph in Perth Amboy.

Lightning in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:00:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: QUARRYVILLE
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A home on Havens Road in Wantage was struck by lightning. The subsequent fire damaged its roof.

Lightning in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:35:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:35:00 (EST-5)
Location: PELLETTOWN
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 5.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A lightning strike ignited bales of hay inside of a barn on Wykertown Road in Frankford Township. Four fire companies battled the blaze that caused minimal damage.

Lightning in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:30:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: FRANKFORD PLAIN
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The Selective Insurance Company in Branchville was evacuated after a lightning strike triggered a chemical fire suppression system. A couple of employees were treated for chemical inhalation.

Lightning in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:25:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: GILLESPIE
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A lightning strike damaged the chimney bricks of a home on March Drive in Sayreville.

Lightning in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 15:25:00 to 18-JUL-12 15:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: THREE BRIDGES
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A lightning strike and subsequent fire forced the evacuation of six condominium units in the Hunters Crossing Development on Nuthatch Court in Readington Township. No serious injuries were reported.

Thunderstorm Wind in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:10:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:11:00 (EST-5)
Location: HARDYSTONVILLE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm downed trees that blocked New Jersey State Route 23 south of New Jersey State Route 94 and New Jersey State Route 94 near North Church Road in Hamburg.

Hail in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:30:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: NORTH BRUNSWICK
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Nickel size hail fell in East Brunswick.

Hail in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 16:30:00 to 18-JUL-12 16:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: RED BANK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm dropped quarter size hail in Red Bank Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 18-JUL-12 13:12:00 to 18-JUL-12 13:12:00 (EST-5)
Location: BEAVER LAKE
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm downed a tree in Hardyston Township. About 3,000 homes and businesses lost power throughout Sussex County because of the combination of damaging winds and lightning. Outages were reported in Byram, Hamburg, Hardyston, Newton, Sparta and Sussex. Some roadway flooding also occurred.