A strong shortwave trough moved east-southeastward out of the Great Lakes region on July 29. An associated, strengthening surface low also tracked out of the Great Lakes and into upstate New York. A warm front associated with this low moved through most of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania during the late morning and early afternoon hours. This front, combined with the remains of widespread convection to the west from the previous overnight and morning hours, brought significant cloud cover to the eastern mid-Atlantic for much of the day on the 29th. This was mainly in the form of mid and high level cloud cover, however, and temperatures still warmed to near seasonal levels behind the warm front, allowing moderate to strong instability to build. Meanwhile, the robust surface and upper level disturbances approaching the region brought both strong forcing and unseasonably strong wind shear. By mid-afternoon, an unusually favorable convective environment existed over eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The result of this environment was a rare tornado outbreak across the area. Initially, during the mid-afternoon hours, mixed convective modes over east-central Pennsylvania produced a couple instances of damaging wind and brief tornadoes as storms attempted to overcome cloud cover and some light stratiform rain in the area. With time, as storms moved into better instability and a less contaminated environment over far eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, they took on more supercellular structures. Multiple cyclic supercells would go on to produce several tornadoes, three of them strong (EF2+) over eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Convection persisted past the sunset hour with little to no loss in intensity due to the strong forcing. The only thing that put an end to the outbreak was the coastline, as storms moved offshore towards 9 to 10PM local time. Even offshore, one supercell continued to exhibit strong rotation and likely produced a strong waterspout for tens of miles over the Atlantic.
Fortunately, and miraculously, no serious injuries or loss of life occurred as a result of this outbreak. With the passage of a cold front late on the evening of the 29th, cooler, drier, and much less active weather would grace the region for several days as clean-up efforts began.

Hail in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:29:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:29:00 (EST-5)
Location: TIMBUCTOO
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Hail in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:19:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:19:00 (EST-5)
Location: WILLINGBORO
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 17:10:00 to 29-JUL-21 17:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: HARBOURTON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:31:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:31:00 (EST-5)
Location: MT HOLLY
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:27:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:27:00 (EST-5)
Location: TIMBUCTOO
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Thunderstorm Wind in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:10:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: STEVENS
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Trees and wires were downed along Neck Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 17:25:00 to 29-JUL-21 17:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: SLACKWOOD
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Wires were downed along West Church Rd.

Hail in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:19:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:19:00 (EST-5)
Location: DELANCO
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:26:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:26:00 (EST-5)
Location: TIMBUCTOO
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Observed at the NWS office.

Thunderstorm Wind in SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 17:02:00 to 29-JUL-21 17:02:00 (EST-5)
Location: PLUCKEMIN
Magnitude: 55.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A few small trees were blown down on Timothy Ln in Bedminster. Time estimated from radar.

Thunderstorm Wind in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:19:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:19:00 (EST-5)
Location: RANCOCAS WOODS
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A tree was blown down, and large branches were blown down from other trees. Time estimated from radar.

Thunderstorm Wind in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:30:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: RANCOCAS WOODS
Magnitude: 60.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Metal bleachers were displaced, a fence and sign were blown down, and some shingles were blown off. Damage photos were consistent with straight line winds. Time estimated from radar.

Thunderstorm Wind in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 18:35:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:35:00 (EST-5)
Location: TIMBUCTOO
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A large tree was uprooted.

Tornado in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 17:56:00 to 29-JUL-21 18:05:00 (EST-5)
Location: ROBBINSVILLE ARPT
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The Windsor-Robbinsville Township tornado began on Route 130 just
south of the town of Windsor near the Assunpink Creek. A few
hardwood trees were uprooted along the highway near the Chestnut
Montessori. The building lost a portion of its roofing material
and several other hardwood trees were uprooted or snapped just
behind the property into a small wooded area. The tornado then
continued in a somewhat transient and weak manner through a series
of fields and tree lines. A few large tree branches were snapped
off near a farm home on Windsor Road and a hardwood tree in a tree
line was uprooted across the street. The sporadic tree damage
continued along Perrineville Road where a large section of a tree
was snapped off at another residence. The tornado then produced an
area of intense convergent tree damage near the intersection of
Perrineville Road and Voelbel Road where numerous trees were
snapped or uprooted. The tornado ended just downstream from this
intersection at a residence on Perrineville Road where a final
tree was uprooted. Despite its short path length, the tornado was on the ground for nearly 10 minutes, and radar data corroborates its motion as being much slower than other tornadoes on this day.

Tornado in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 19:43:00 to 29-JUL-21 19:51:00 (EST-5)
Location: CEDAR BRIDGE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado estimated to have touched down in the New Jersey pine barrens over Burlington County moved into Ocean County, where damage was first observed. The bulk of the damage consisted of large snapped and uprooted pine and spruce
trees with a few red maple trees. Some of the heaviest damage occurred on Old
Cedar Bridge Rd near the Cedar Bridge Tavern Historic Site. The
tornado crossed Route 72 before moving through over a mile of
inaccessible forest land. Tree damage was found again along Jones
Rd. From there the tornado moved into the Wells Mills area where
the path of tree damage continued. A number of snapped trees and
large limbs were found in the area of Wells Mills County Park. The
tornado path appeared to end a few hundred yards east of this
location. The degree of tree damage along the middle portion of
the track was consistent with a higher end EF1 tornado.

Tornado in BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 19:42:00 to 29-JUL-21 19:43:00 (EST-5)
Location: CHATSWORTH
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado touched down on the evening of July 29 in a heavily
forested area in the eastern portion of Woodland Twp in southern
New Jersey. The start location is estimated to be between
Stevenson Rd, where survey crews found no damage, and Whiting Rd
about a mile and a half away, where tree damage was observed. The
estimate, also aided by radar, places the start just west of the
border of Burlington and Ocean Counties, though no damage was directly observed in Burlington County due to accessibility issues. After touching down, the
tornado moved in an east-northeasterly direction and quickly crossed the Ocean County border.

Thunderstorm Wind in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 19:43:00 to 29-JUL-21 19:43:00 (EST-5)
Location: SILVERTON
Magnitude: 60.00 EG
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A damaging wind event occurred in the Silverton section of Toms
River, New Jersey. The area was surveyed by a National Weather
Service storm survey team. Multiple areas of minor tree and siding
damage were observed roughly along a path from near Alissa Dr to
Arkansas Ave. The most significant damage occurred in the area of
Silverton Park near the Silverton EMS building. One large tree was
snapped on the north side of Silverton Park near Maine St, and a
couple of other trees nearby lost limbs. A small section of
siding was also removed from the EMS building just across the
street. Sporadic, minor tree damage continued along a path east-
northeastward from there before ending in the area of Green
Island. Radar indicated some weak rotation in the area. Dual
polarization data indicated a feature which looked similar to a
tornado debris signature, but is thought more likely to be a radar
artifact based on further analysis. While it cannot be ruled out
that a brief tornado touched down, there is insufficient evidence
to confirm this. Therefore, the Silverton Wind Event has been
classified as straight line wind damage of around 60 to 70 mph.

Tornado in MERCER, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 17:01:00 to 29-JUL-21 17:14:00 (EST-5)
Location: TITUSVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado which began in New Hope, Pennsylvania crossed the Delaware
River and entered Mercer County, New Jersey, in the area of
Washington Crossing. Multiple reports of residential tree damage
were received from Washington Crossing, and the survey team
observed tree damage along River Rd on the New Jersey side of the
Delaware River. From there the tornado continued southeast and
crossed Pleasant Valley Rd. The first indications of EF2 damage
came on that road, with numerous large hardwood and softwood trees
snapped, sheared, and/or uprooted. The tornado continued
southeastward and crossed through Baldpate Mountain. Continued
heavy tree damage was observed in this area. An access road to the
top of the mountain was barely passable when the survey team
reached it in late afternoon, after many hours of tree clearing
work by local parks officials and private companies. Hundreds of
trees were snapped or damaged on this mountain. Damage continued
down the mountain through Fiddlers Creek Rd and Church Rd. The
tornado path then crossed Washington Crossing State Park. Further
damage was observed just southeast along Bear Tavern Rd. In fact,
some of the largest downed trees were observed in this area.
However, by this point damage became increasingly unidirectional
as the storm's rear flank downdraft likely wrapped around the
tornadic circulation. Sufficient evidence of tornadic winds still
existed in the Bear Tavern Rd area, but it is estimated the
tornado lifted soon after, shortly before entering much more
densely populated areas near the Trenton Mercer Airport.

Tornado in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 20:03:00 to 29-JUL-21 20:13:00 (EST-5)
Location: BARNEGAT
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The same supercell which produced a tornado in the New Jersey
Pine Barrens cycled and produced another tornado in far eastern
Ocean County. The tornado touched down near the immediate western
shore of Barnegat Bay. At least one building near Bay Beach off
Bayshore Dr sustained roofing damage. The tornado then moved over
Barnegat Bay as a waterspout. It came ashore in the area of High
Bar Harbor in Long Beach Twp.
The most severe damage was noted to a house on the corner of
Antioch Rd and Arnold Blvd. This house was facing west-southwest,
and had its entire roof structure lifted off and tossed one to two
houses to the east. The house walls remained standing but most of
the doors and windows on the east and west sides of the house
were completely blown out, with significant damage to the inside
of the house. A two- by-four from an adjacent house impaled the
wall on the west side of the house. Eight people were in the house
at the time the tornado hit, but they were able to take shelter
in an interior closet, with only minor injuries sustained. In
addition, on the north side of the house, a car in the driveway
was pushed sideways several feet and their boat flipped into their
neighbor's boat. The boat's trailer was tossed about 50 feet into
a house just to the east. The degree and orientation of damage
was consistent with tornadic winds of 115 to 120 mph, which is EF2
intensity.
Continuing east-northeast, about a dozen homes on the south side
of Arnold Blvd sustained significant uplift of roof material,
siding damage or removal, collapse of porch, patio, and sunroom
structures, and blown out windows. Several large trees were
uprooted and lay pointing to the east-northeast, as well as downed
power poles.
The tornado moved east or slightly north of east from Arnold
Blvd, over an open salt marsh, before intersecting a few houses on
the corner of Collier Rd and Sunset Blvd. The most significant
damage was to a house on the northwest corner of Collier and
Sunset, which sustained siding damage, partial roof removal,
blowout of the storm surge walls on the basement level of the
elevated structure, and a large tree uprooted and laying to the
east-northeast. Power poles and large trees were downed on Sunset
Blvd, adjacent to the High Bar Harbor Yacht Club. There was damage
to several boats in the yacht club marina, but this was mainly
due to lofted debris being tossed into the marina. The circulation
then moved into the cove east of the marina. However, no further
significant damage was noted on the east side of the cover in
Barnegat Light, indicating the tornado had likely lifted. This is
corroborated by radar data which showed a weakening of the
circulation and a likely dissipation before it crossed into the
open Atlantic.

Tornado in OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 29-JUL-21 19:04:00 to 29-JUL-21 19:08:00 (EST-5)
Location: ARCHERS CORNER
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Reported by: State Official

The tornado touched down east of Hawkin Road near the intersection
of Bordens Mill Branch and Success Branch in Jackson Township. The
entire life cycle of this tornado was within a large wooded area
between Success Lake and the Lakehurst Naval Air Field. Based on
aerial images, the damage was limited to some snapped and uprooted
trees. The tornado occurred about 7 miles north of the Fort Dix
Doppler Radar (KDIX), which showed a well defined velocity couplet
along with a Tornado Debris Signature (TDS) in the Correlation
Coefficient data. The radar data showed the circulation was short-
lived as it moved eastward across the extensive wooded area
southwest of Success Lake. Based on the aerial images, this tornado
was rated an EF-0 with estimated peak winds up to 80 mph given the
damage to numerous softwood trees.
The National Weather Service would like to thank the New Jersey
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) for their extensive assistance by flying
aerial surveys to find damage produced by this tornado.