A tornado touches down in South Jersey, and a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Friday night
The twister touched down in Atlantic County with winds of 65 to 75 mph. Storms ripped down trees and flooded roads.
A potent cluster of thunderstorms that ripped down trees and flooded roads in parts of the region spawned a tornado in South Jersey on Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service confirmed.
And the weather service has issued another severe thunderstorm watch for the entire region in effect until 11:59 p.m. Friday.
In its late-day forecast discussion, it said that “another tornado or two cannot be ruled out with this second round.“
The weather service said a team of investigators confirmed what radar images suggested: A tornado had touched down near Collings Lake in Atlantic County at 12:52 p.m.
It was rated a minimal EF-0, with winds of 65 to 75 mph.
During its one-minute career, the twister took down some large branches and tore sheeting off a roof along its 25-yard path.
No injuries were reported as a result of the tornado or the sequence of storms, but numerous reports of closed roads and downed trees were posted by the weather service, including one of a tree smashing into a house in Philadelphia.
The weather service warned it’s possible the region may experience encores of the severe weather Friday night and again Saturday morning.
For the last two weeks, the atmosphere has been brewing a soup of water vapor that has provided more than ample raw material for storms touched off by disturbances approaching the region.
Heavy rains deluged parts of the region Tuesday into Wednesday with as much as 3 inches in some areas.
Similar amounts evidently may have fallen in some places Friday, but this time within the space of a few hours. Flash flooding and road closures were reported in Chester, Montgomery, and Camden Counties.
Eric Hoeflich, meteorologist at the weather service in Mount Holly, said totals of an inch were common, and 1.5 inches were measured officially at Philadelphia International Airport between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. More than 2 inches was measured at Brandywine Regional Airport in Chester County between 11 a.m. and noon.
He added that given the nature of thunderstorms, “You can get heavy rains in isolated areas ... in a hurry.”
And it’s not quite over.
“A second round of severe weather is possible this evening into tonight,” the weather service said. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center official criteria for a “severe” storm includes one with winds approaching 60 mph.
Hoeflich, however, said the storms “probably won’t be quite as widespread.”
The atmospherics fireworks snuffed out the fireworks show at the New Hope Celebrates Pride celebration on Friday night. The organizers said high water in the Delaware River would compromise the stability of the barge that was the staging area. The drone show will proceed, however.
And a second round of rains delayed the Phillies-Pittsburgh Pirates game in South Philly.
The storm threat continues into Saturday morning, Hoeflich said, and possibly into the afternoon. As for timing, the storms once again are being chary with their plans.