Two tornadoes were reported in northern New Jersey on Tuesday afternoon as severe thunderstorms moved through the region, officials said.
According to a storm report from the National Weather Service (NWS), a trained spotter witnessed a tornado touch down around 2:10 p.m. at the intersection of Interstate 80 and US Route 206 near Stanhope, with trees and other debris visible on the road.
Shortly before 2:45 p.m., a video submitted to the agency showed a tornado on the ground in the Parsippany-Troy Hills area, roughly 15 miles away.
NWS also received a report of a waterspout, which is a rotating column of air and water mist, approaching the shore near Cape May Point on the southern end of the state.
The agency had issued a tornado warning for parts of Morris County until 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The Morris County Office of Emergency Management also alerted residents to a strong thunderstorm moving through the area, warning of possible wind gusts of between 50 and 65 miles per hour, along with torrential downpours that could cause water buildup and localized flooding.
“The storm continues to show some rotation,” the agency said. “While a tornado remains possible, we are hopeful the threat will decrease as the core of the storm moves east.”
No injuries were immediately confirmed. CBS News reported that about 1,000 people in Morris County were without power during the storm.
Officials continued to warn residents of the possibility of additional thunderstorms. On Wednesday, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said some parts of the state could see scattered storms in the afternoon, particularly in southern and eastern regions.
“Please monitor your local forecast, keep your devices charged in case of outages, use caution if you’re traveling, and never drive through flooded waters,” Sherrill added. “Stay safe, New Jersey.”
Severe weather also impacted several other states throughout Tuesday. WLKY News reported that at least three tornadoes touched down in Kentucky, affecting multiple counties, including Owen County and Bourbon County. A tornado with wind speeds of up to 95 miles per hour was also reported near Fort Knox in Hardin County.
A preliminary damage survey identified a tornado in Grayson County with estimated peak winds of 115 miles per hour. Grayson County officials said more than a dozen buildings were damaged, several homes were destroyed, and at least two people were hospitalized with storm-related injuries.
A tornado was also reported in the Pierce Township area of Clermont County, Ohio. However, NWS is continuing to assess storm damage and will release findings in the coming days.
