The tornado that ravaged parts of the Manahawkin section of Stafford Tuesday was not that unusual for New Jersey, according to a leading meteorologist.
“Obviously, we had strong to severe thunderstorms (Tuesday) and we had damaging winds (in) multiple locations,” said Gary Szatkowski, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service Mount Holly Office.
Several of the thunderstorms had mesocyclones, which are rotating low pressure areas, and a tornado formed in one of them, Szatkowski said Wednesday.
A mesocyclone is typically around 2 to 6 miles in diameter, covering an area much larger than the tornado that may form in it, according to the weather service.
Szatkowski said “in any one location in New Jersey, it’s relatively unusual” to see a tornado, but about three form in the state each year. “Certainly, it’s not that unusual,” he said.
A National Climatic Data Center storm database includes reports on 26 tornadoes in New Jersey since Jan. 1, 1996. That’s fewer than two per year. Seven tornadoes touched down in one year – 2003.
New Jersey tornadoes tend to be on the weak side, like the one in Stafford - an EFO tornado, according to Szatkowski.
An EFO (Enhanced Fujita Scale-0) tornado has estimated peak winds of 65 mph to 85 mph, according to the weather service.
Szatkowski said “again, normally they happen this time of the year during the warm season, nothing very unusual about it.”
The Stafford tornado touched down at about 10:05 a.m. Tuesday, according to the weather service.
Szatkowski said the weather service issued a tornado warning at 10:12 a.m., but had issued an updated severe thunderstorm warning at 9:57 a.m. stating that a tornado could develop. The initial severe thunderstorm warning came out at 9:43 a.m., he said.
Based on media reports, “folks took the right action,” he said.
“We’re fortunate there weren’t any injuries and, obviously, any fatalities,” he said.
In 1999, a tornado with estimated top winds of 120 mph struck Beach Haven and Long Beach Township on Aug. 20, causing an estimated $4.2 million in damages and injuring one person, according to the federal storm database database.
Some images:
The Stafford tornado downed large trees that workers had to remove at Manahawkin Baptist Church in Stafford (Source: Bob Bielk, Staff photographer)
The tornado hammered tree limbs at Manahawkin Baptist Church (Photo by Vincent DiSalvio, special to the the Asbury Park Press)
The roof over the Manahawkin Baptist Church took a hit (Photo by Vincent DiSalvio, special to the Asbury Park Press)
