An intense low pressure system brought strong to high northeast winds into central and eastern New Jersey mainly during the evening of the 26th. Peak wind gusts reached hurricane force gusts in Ocean County.  The strong to high winds caused some structural damage as well as knocking down trees, tree limbs and wires and caused power outrages.  Jersey Central Power and Light reported about 7,000 of its customers lost power in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. The onshore flow also caused minor tidal flooding from Lower Delaware Bay north through Raritan Bay during the evening high tide cycle on the 26th and moderate tidal flooding in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean Counties during the morning high tide cycle on the 27th. The tidal flooding was exacerbated by heavy flooding rain that fell during the evening and overnight on the 26th. As the low pressure system moved into New Jersey, the strong to high winds ceased.  Because of the adverse weather, New Jersey Transit cross honored bus and rail tickets.
Peak wind gusts included 74 mph in Brick (Ocean County), 70 mph in Tuckerton and Barnegat (Ocean County), 68 mph in Harvey Cedars (Ocean County), 61 mph in Sandy Hook (Monmouth County), 58 mph in Monmouth Beach (Monmouth County), 57 mph in Oceanport (Monmouth County), 54 mph in Florence (Burlington County), Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights (Ocean County), 51 mph at the Atlantic City International Airport (Atlantic County), 49 mph in West Cape May (Cape May County), 48 mph in Oceanville (Atlantic County) and 46 mph in Trenton (Mercer County) and the Marina in Atlantic City (Atlantic County).
Tidal flooding affected the northern half of New Jersey the hardest. The heavy rain exacerbated the flooding on roadways.  In Middlesex County, in Woodbridge, the intersection of Port Reading Avenue and Watson Avenue was closed over the Spring Creek.  In Laurence Harbor, tidal flooding occurred between New Jersey State Route 35 and the Monmouth County border with Cliffwood Beach and Aberdeen Township.  In Monmouth County, sections of New Jersey State Route 35 in Aberdeen and Hazlet Townships were also flooded and closed. New Jersey State Route 36 in Sea Bright was flooded.  In Ocean County, New Jersey State Route 35 was flooded in Mantoloking Borough.  Brick Township closed off its part of the barrier islands to traffic and Toms River Township reported some ocean breaches on its barrier islands. In Barnegat Bay, tidal flooding caused the closure of Mandalay and Drum Point Roads. Tidal flooding was reported along Hovsons Boulevard and in the Silverton and Holiday City areas of the township. In Atlantic County,  U.S. Route 9 in Absecon and the Black Horse Pike (U.S. Routes 40 and 322) approaching Atlantic City were closed because of tidal flooding.
From south to north in the state, the highest tide at Cape May (Cape May County) reached 7.11 feet above mean lower low water. Minor tidal flooding starts at 6.7 feet above mean lower low water.  The highest tide at Atlantic City (Atlantic County) reached 6.4 feet above mean lower low water. Minor tidal flooding starts at 6.0 feet above mean lower low water. The highest tide in Sandy Hook (Monmouth County) reached 7.83 feet above mean lower low water. Moderate tidal flooding starts at 7.7 feet above mean lower low water. The morning high tide on the 27th also reached 8.01 feet above mean lower low water at Keansburg (Monmouth County) and 8.93 feet above mean lower low water at South Amboy (Middlesex County). There are no established tide categories for the latter two sites.

The strong to high winds and the subsequent tidal flooding were caused by the pressure gradient (difference) between a low pressure system that passed across the southeast part of the state and a high pressure system over nearby New England and southeast Canada. The low itself moved from Texas on Christmas Day northeast into the Tennessee Valley on the 26th. A secondary low pressure system formed in the Carolinas on the 26th and became the main low. This low moved northeast and passed through southern Delaware on the evening of the 26th and across southeast New Jersey overnight on the 26th.

Coastal Flood in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 27-DEC-12 04:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 07:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in WESTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 27-DEC-12 06:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 27-DEC-12 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 08:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 27-DEC-12 05:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 08:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in WESTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 27-DEC-12 06:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

High Wind in WESTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 20:00:00 to 26-DEC-12 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 61.00 MG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

High Wind in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 20:00:00 to 26-DEC-12 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 64.00 MG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

High Wind in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 21:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

High Wind in WESTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 21:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Strong Wind in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 17:00:00 to 26-DEC-12 20:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Strong Wind in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 17:00:00 to 26-DEC-12 20:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Strong Wind in EASTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 17:00:00 to 26-DEC-12 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Strong Wind in SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 18:00:00 to 26-DEC-12 23:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in WESTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 17:00:00 to 26-DEC-12 22:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 44.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Strong Wind in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 20:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 01:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Strong Wind in NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 20:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 01:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 47.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 26-DEC-12 21:00:00 to 27-DEC-12 01:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet