[MTHOLLYSVRWX] Public Information Statement : PHI@ 9/17/2010 9:46:41 PM

[svrwx at wx3i.net]

NOUS41 KPHI 180142
PNSPHI
DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055-
060>062-067>071-181200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
942 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2010

...MICROBURST /STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE/ CONFIRMED IN PERTH
AMBOY IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY NEW JERSEY...

LOCATION...PERTH AMBOY IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY NEW JERSEY
DATE...SEPTEMBER 16, 2010 
ESTIMATED TIME...515 PM EDT 
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...80 MPH 
BEGINNING LAT/LON...40.507N/74.274W 
ENDING LAT/LON...40.505N/74.263W
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...1

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY NJ HAS CONFIRMED A
MICROBURST /STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE/ IN PERTH AMBOY IN MIDDLESEX
COUNTY NEW JERSEY ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010.

AT APPROXIMATELY 515 PM ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2010, WINDS 
ASSOCIATED WITH A WET MICROBURST MOVED THROUGH THE SOUTHEASTERN 
CORNER OF PERTH AMBOY IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY. BASED ON BOTH 
LAND AND AIRBORNE SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY NWS PERSONNEL AND ALLIED 
AGENCIES, THIS MICROBURST PRODUCED A MAXIMUM WIND GUST OF 
APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH. WIND INSTRUMENTS CLOSE TO THE IMPACT SITE 
MEASURED A WIND GUST OF 73 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE TERMINAL DOPPLER 
RADAR ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AND 
VIDEO AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, INDICATED A ROTATING WALL 
CLOUD AND FUNNEL CLOUD WITHIN THE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX. HOWEVER, 
THIS FUNNEL CLOUD DISSIPATED BEFORE REACHING THE GROUND. 

DAMAGE FROM THIS MICROBURST OCCURRED IN AN AREA BOUNDED BY 2ND 
STREET TO THE WEST, SMITH STREET ON THE NORTH, AND THE WATERFRONT ON 
THE EAST AND SOUTH. SNAPPED TREES AND TREE BRANCHES WERE THE 
PREVALENT DAMAGE TYPE, BUT ROOF AND CHIMNEY DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED IN 
SEVERAL LOCATIONS. NO HOMES EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL 
DAMAGE, BUT SEVERAL GARAGES EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE EITHER 
DIRECTLY FROM THE WIND ITSELF OR COLLATERALLY FROM FLYING AND/OR 
FALLING DEBRIS. ONE MINOR INJURY DUE TO FLYING DEBRIS OCCURRED ALONG 
1ST STREET.  

THE WORST DAMAGE WAS LOCATED IN A TWO-BLOCK AREA BOUNDED BY 2ND 
STREET, GORDON STREET, MADISON AVENUE AND LEWIS STREET. HERE SEVERAL 
LARGE TREES AND NUMEROUS POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN, AND STRUCTURAL 
DAMAGE OCCURRED TO SEVERAL GARAGES. IN ONE CASE THIS STRUCTURAL 
DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE DIRECT EFFECT OF THE WIND, BUT IN OTHER 
CASES IT WAS CAUSED BY FLYING AND/OR FALLING TREES AND TREE LIMBS. 
NUMEROUS HOUSES IN THIS AREA SUFFERED ROOF DAMAGE, MAINLY IN THE 
FORM OF LOST SHINGLES AND DAMAGED OR DESTROYED CHIMNEYS, BUT WHOLE 
SECTIONS OF ROOFS WERE TORN FROM SEVERAL HOMES. A ROOF WAS ALSO TORN 
FROM ONE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING ALONG 2ND STREET, PORTIONS OF WHICH 
WERE TRANSPORTED SEVERAL BLOCKS DOWN WIND. TREE DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED 
IN AND NEAR BAYVIEW PARK.

PERSONNEL FROM THE CITY OF PERTH AMBOY AND THE CITY OF WOODBRIDGE 
WORKED THROUGH THE NIGHT TO CLEAN UP STORM DEBRIS IN A VERY TIMELY 
FASHION.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THANKS THE CITY OF PERTH AMBOY FOR ITS 
ASSISTANCE IN THIS SURVEY.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/PHI.

FOR REFERENCE...
A MICROBURST IS A CONVECTIVE DOWNDRAFT WITH AN AFFECTED OUTFLOW AREA
OF LESS THAN 2 1/2 MILES WIDE AND PEAK WINDS LASTING LESS THAN
5 MINUTES. MICROBURSTS MAY INDUCE DANGEROUS HORIZONTAL/VERTICAL
WIND SHEARS...WHICH CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND
CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE. STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS ARE GENERALLY ANY WIND
THAT IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ROTATION...USED MAINLY TO DIFFERENTIATE
THEM FROM TORNADIC WINDS.

$$

JJM/LR