National Weather Service determines EF-2 tornado was part of storm that hit Mercer County

Janice Yu Image
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
NWS confirms EF-2 tornado hit parts of NJ in Tuesday's storm
After severe storms damaged parts of Mercer County, the National Weather Service determined that an EF-2 tornado caused the destruction. Anthony Johnson has the story.

MERCER COUNTY, New Jersey (WABC) -- The National Weather service has determined that an EF-2 tornado was part of Tuesday's storm that hit parts of Mercer County, New Jersey.

The tornado had estimated peak winds of 110-115 mph and its path extended about 5.8 miles.

Clean up and repairs continued Wednesday. A lot of residents said the storm looked and felt like a tornado before the National Weather Service confirmed.

The NWS sent a team to Mercer County to survey the damage and videos caught by locals.

Some footage shows interesting cloud formations and a waterspout that formed during the storm.

On Tuesday, trees were uprooted, roofs were blown off and peeled back, and cars were left damaged.

About 29 units in Lawrence Square Village were damaged. Between 75 and 100 residents have been displaced and around 300 customers were without power.

First responders, the Red Cross, and the Office of Emergency Management all showed up to help.

Though the storm took the area by surprise, no injuries have been reported.

"It got real dark, and then things started to... I've never seen the wind blow like I did," West Windsor resident Marilyn Anderson said.

Residents recounted the moment their roof blew off and what it felt like to look at this area in disarray.

"We've been here for years in this area, and never seen anything like it," West Windsor resident Mark Grasselli said.

Since the National Weather Service confirmed this storm included a tornado, this is the state's first tornado to occur during the month of February since 1999. About 24 years ago, a small tornado struck Cherry Hill in Camden County.

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