The increasing pressure difference (gradient) between a rapidly intensifying low pressure system offshore  and an arctic high pressure system moving east from the Great Lakes caused strong to high damaging northwest winds to occur in New Jersey from the late evening of the 14th into the afternoon of the 15th.  Strong wind gusts started late in the evening on the 14th, peaked during the morning of the 15th and continued into the afternoon of the 15th. The highest winds occurred in the southern half of the state and in the higher terrain of Sussex County.  In these latter locations, peak wind gusts averaged around 60 mph. In the rest of the northern half of the state, peak wind gusts averaged 45 to 50 mph. The strong to high winds caused isolated property damage (mainly stripped siding), knocked down or snapped numerous trees and tree limbs. This resulted in downed wires and power outages. About 5,000 homes and businesses lost power, mainly in southeast New Jersey.  Nearly all power was restored on the evening of the 15th. The strong to high winds hampered road crews trying to keep roadways clear from the snow that fell on the 14th. It also ushered into New Jersey one of the coldest air masses of the entire winter season.
In Cape May County, a hotel roof was partially torn off in Stone Harbor.  New Jersey State Route 47 was closed in Middle Township because of a downed pole. Service was suspended on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. In Atlantic City (Atlantic County), the high winds knocked down a street light electrical box. The wind also caused the cancellation of several events. Speed limits on Delaware River bridges in and around Philadelphia as well as on the Garden State Parkway were reduced.
Peak wind gusts included 66 mph in Cape May (Cape May County), 63 mph in West Cape May (Cape May County), 61 mph in Wantage (Sussex County), 59 mph in Vineland (Cumberland County) and Barnegat Inlet (Ocean County), 58 mph in Florence (Burlington County) and Tuckerton and Beach Haven (Ocean County), 53 mph in Sandy Hook (Monmouth County) and Millville (Cumberland County), 52 mph at the Atlantic City International Airport, 51 mph in Sea Girt (Monmouth County) and Waretown (Ocean County), 48 mph in Belmar (Monmouth County), 47 mph in Somerville (Somerset County), 46 mph in Lincoln Park (Morris County) and 45 mph in Readington (Hunterdon County).
The high winds were caused by the increasing pressure gradient (difference) between the rapidly intensifying offshore low pressure system and a high pressure system over the western Great Lakes.  The low pressure system deepened (intensified) from 996 millibars at 7 p.m. EST on the 14th to 978 millibars at 7 a.m. EST on the 15th, 972 millibars at 1 p.m. EST on the 15th and 962 millibars as it passed through Nova Scotia at 7 p.m. EST on the 15th.  The arctic high pressure system also was quite strong and averaged 1042 millibars while the highest winds were occurring. The strong to high winds ceased on the afternoon of the 15th when the low pressure system was sufficiently east of Delaware (and the high pressure system reached Michigan) for the strongest pressure gradient to move  offshore.

Strong Wind in WARREN, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 05:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in HUNTERDON, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 05:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in MORRIS, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 03:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 03:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 41.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Strong Wind in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 03:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 02:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 46.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Strong Wind in WESTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 02:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 41.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 02:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in SALEM, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in SUSSEX, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 02:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 15:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in WESTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

High Wind in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 57.00 MG
Property damage: 110.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

High Wind in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in EASTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in WESTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind in CUMBERLAND, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 11:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Strong Wind in GLOUCESTER, NEW JERSEY
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 14:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet