A complex of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through the central third of New Jersey during the early evening of the 7th.  This complex was fueled by high temperatures that reached as high as around 100F and triggered by an approaching cold front. Numerous trees were knocked down. Dozens of cars were damaged and downed trees also damaged several homes. Hardest hit were southern Monmouth and northern Ocean Counties. Nearly 100,000 homes and businesses in the Jersey Central Power and Light and Atlantic City Electric's service area lost power.  A power outage caused people in Seaside Heights to be stuck on a sky ride as the severe thunderstorm moved through.  On the morning of the 8th, there were still about 18,000 customers without power. That dropped to 14,000 later that day. It took until the night of the 9th for power to be fully restored to everyone. Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning also occurred and one woman was struck and killed by lightning in Monmouth County.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:35:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:35:00 (EST-5)
Location: BRICK TOWN
Magnitude: 68.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees in Brick Township. A Weatherflow mesonet site measured a wind gust of 78 mph. About 3,000 homes and businesses lost power in the township.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:40:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:42:00 (EST-5)
Location: TOMS RIVER
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees in Toms River Township. Nearly half of all of the 26,200 outages in Jersey Central Power and Light's service area in Ocean County occurred within the township. There were forty-three downed trees, forty-four separate reports of downed wires and/or poles, two blown transformers and over a dozen reports of property damage throughout the township.  On the morning of the 8th, there were still about 11,000 customers throughout Ocean County that did not have their power restored.

Thunderstorm Wind in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:15:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: WEST FREEHOLD
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees and wires in Freehold Township. Of the 40,000 Jersey Central Power and Light customers to lose power in Monmouth County, 10,000 were in Freehold Township. The next morning (the 8th), 7,000 homes and businesses in Monmouth County were still without power.

Lightning in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 19:00:00 to 07-JUL-12 19:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: BARNEGAT LIGHT
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Lightning strikes on Long Beach Island resulted in about 8,000 homes and businesses losing power in Barnegat Light, Loveladies, Harvey Cedars and Beach Haven. All power was restored by 945 p.m. EDT that evening.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:20:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:20:00 (EST-5)
Location: JACKSON
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: 911 Call Center

A severe thunderstorm knocked down numerous trees in Jackson Township. A downed tree damaged one home. About 4,400 homes and businesses lost power in the township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:16:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:16:00 (EST-5)
Location: WEST FREEHOLD
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm also knocked down numerous trees and wires in Freehold Borough. A downed tree crushed a Mercedes at the intersection of South Street and New Jersey State Route 33B. Two occupants managed to get out of the vehicle, but were hospitalized. Downed trees damaged three homes within the borough. Downed wires caused a basement fire to one home. One firefighter was hospitalized battling the blaze.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:25:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: KESWICK GROVE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a few trees in Manchester Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:30:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: LAKEWOOD
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a few trees in Lakewood Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:45:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: ISLAND HGTS
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees in Pine Beach Borough.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:48:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:48:00 (EST-5)
Location: OCEAN GATE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:39:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:39:00 (EST-5)
Location: CHADWICK
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a few large tree limbs in the Normandy Beach area of Toms River Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:01:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:01:00 (EST-5)
Location: JAMESBURG
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 Monroe Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:30:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: OCEANPORT
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees and wires in Eatontown Borough.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:42:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:42:00 (EST-5)
Location: SEASIDE HGTS
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm knocked down poles and wires and at least one tree in Seaside Heights. In addition, people were trapped on a skyride at the Casino Pier along the boardwalk as the severe thunderstorm was arriving. A 17-year-old girl was injured after she jumped off the stuck skyride onto the beach.

Thunderstorm Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:01:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:01:00 (EST-5)
Location: JAMESBURG
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 Monroe Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:10:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: IMLAYSTOWN
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down two trees along the shoulder of Interstate 195 in Upper Freehold Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:25:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: ADELPHIA
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees and wires in Howell Township. At least one township roadway was blocked by downed trees. About 8,600 homes and businesses lost power in the township.

Thunderstorm Wind in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 17:50:00 to 07-JUL-12 17:50:00 (EST-5)
Location: PRINCETON
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees in Princeton Township. One downed tree damaged a home. Farther to the west in the county, winds gusted to 55 mph at the Mercer County Airport at 645 p.m. EDT.

Thunderstorm Wind in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 17:55:00 to 07-JUL-12 17:55:00 (EST-5)
Location: DUTCH NECK
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A severe thunderstorm knocked down large tree limbs and wires in West Windsor Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 17:30:00 to 07-JUL-12 17:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: ROSEMONT
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm overturned a metal hay wagon and chicken coop on one property on Sanford Road in Delaware Township. The same property had some windows damaged and a large tree uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 17:34:00 to 07-JUL-12 17:34:00 (EST-5)
Location: FLEMINGTON
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a few trees in Flemington.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:55:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:55:00 (EST-5)
Location: LANOKA HARBOR
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust of 60 mph at Trixie's Landing in Berkeley Township.

Thunderstorm Wind in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 17:45:00 to 07-JUL-12 17:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: SKILLMAN
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a couple of trees in the Skillman section of Montgomery Township.

Lightning in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:40:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: LAVALLETTE
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

The combination of a severe thunderstorm and a lightning strike to a transformer caused power to be out throughout the entire borough into the afternoon of the 8th.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:40:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: LAVALLETTE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A severe thunderstorm knocked down a few utility poles in Lavallette Borough. A downed tree damaged a vehicle in the West Point Island section of the borough. Another tree was knocked down at the borough's library. The Tradewinds Motor Lodge lost its sign. The borough was still without power at 2 p.m. EDT on the 8th.

Lightning in MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 07-JUL-12 18:40:00 to 07-JUL-12 18:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: MONMOUTH BEACH
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A 48-year-old woman was struck by lightning in Monmouth Beach at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and Sunset Lane. She died the next day.