Live N.J. power outage tracker: Strong thunderstorms, fierce winds cut power to thousands of homes

Strong thunderstorms that have pelted parts of New Jersey with heavy rain and strong winds have knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses across the state, with forecasters calling for a threat of additional thunderstorms popping up through late Sunday night.

NJ.com’s Power Outage Tracker, which monitors outage numbers from utility companies in the region, showed about 12,000 homes and businesses in New Jersey without power as of 6 p.m. Sunday.

Forecasters from the National Weather Service had predicted a cold front would move across New Jersey on Sunday, interacting with hot and humid air, which could trigger intense thunderstorms with damaging winds as strong as 60 mph.

Eighteen of the state’s 21 counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 7 p.m. Sunday, and three counties — Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland — are under a severe thunderstorm watch through 11 p.m. Sunday. Several thunderstorm warnings and flash flood warnings have also been posted.

Forecasters say they can’t rule out the possibility of an isolated tornado forming during the intense thunderstorms because of the high humidity and wind shear in the atmosphere.

On Wednesday night, New Jersey was rocked by strong thunderstorms that toppled trees and snapped power lines in numerous towns and cities, knocking out power to more than 100,000 homes and businesses across the state.

Those storms turned out to be deadly, with a large tree falling on a 30-year-old man in East Orange, killing him, according to local police.

Latest power outage numbers

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Current weather radar

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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.