A powerful round of severe thunderstorms swept through New Jersey on Thursday evening, leaving more than 15,000 customers without electricity by midnight and triggering a wave of warnings across multiple counties — with dangerous heat still threatening millions the following day.
The National Weather Service issued several severe thunderstorm warnings as storms moved rapidly across the state, bringing damaging winds and heavy rain. Among the hardest-hit areas were Essex, Hudson, Union, northern Morris, Sussex, southeastern Morris, and north-central Somerset counties, where warnings were issued and later expired through the late evening hours.
A Special Weather Statement for Hudson and southeastern Bergen counties warned of strong storms continuing through 12:15 a.m. Friday, urging residents to stay indoors and away from windows.
Severe thunderstorm watches stretched well into the night across two separate watch zones: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Union, Atlantic, Burlington, Monmouth, and Ocean counties.
But the danger is far from over. Heat advisories issued by weather officials remain active across a wide stretch of New Jersey through 8 p.m. Friday. Residents who lost power overnight now face the added threat of sweltering indoor temperatures with no air conditioning — a combination that health officials warn can quickly become life-threatening, especially for the elderly and young children.
Utility crews were deployed overnight to begin restoring service, though officials have not given a firm timeline for full restoration. Residents are urged to check on neighbors, avoid using generators indoors, and limit outdoor activity during peak afternoon heat on Friday.
If you are without power and need cooling relief, contact your local municipality for information on cooling centers open in your area.
