WHAT THE HAIL?
Severe T-storms batter area with heavy rain, high winds and quarter-size hail
Thousands were left without power in Mercer and Bucks counties after severe weather slammed the greater Trenton area on Monday afternoon.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly issued a flash flood emergency for northern Philadelphia and adjacent portions of New Jersey after a thunderstorm produced driving rain and quarter-size hail.
Skies opened shortly after 1 p.m. as the severe weather continued into the early-evening hours. A flash flood watch remained in effect as day turned to night. The hail pounded off cars as motorists pulled off the road to let the most violent portion of the storm pass.
PSE&G reported over 10,000 customers without power in New Jersey as of 3 p.m. on Monday. PECO reported over 12,000 affected on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, including over 2,500 in Bucks County.
The National Weather Service said damage to vehicles, roofs, trees and power lines was all possible.
“Protecting yourself from immediate threats to life and safety shall take priority,” the NWS said. “Whenever possible, as long as it does not cause greater hard, all COVID-19 protective action guidance should be followed.
“For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. In addition to large hail and damaging winds, frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.”
The storms also brought a drop in temperature as they dipped into the 60s after hovering in the mid-toupper 90s through most of Fourth of July weekend. The heat index was 97 degrees in Trenton on Monday before storm clouds rolled in.