Tornado warning in effect for Southeastern Mercer County until 4:15 p.m. Tuesday
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has issued a tornado warning for Southeastern Mercer County, West Central Monmouth County, and Southwestern Middlesex County. The warning is in effect until 4:15 p.m.
Some towns in Central New Jersey have issued a “code blue” alert for potential tornadoes and high winds until 9 a.m. Wednesday.
At about 3:40 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Edinburg about seven miles east of Trenton, moving east at 45 miles per hour.
Locations potentially impacted include Princeton Junction Hightstown, Cranbury, Roosevelt, Mercerville-Hamilton Square, Edinburg, Twin Rivers, Clearbrook Park, and Concordia. This includes the following highways: The New Jersey Turnpike near exit 8A, Interstate 195 in New Jersey between mile markers 11 and 12, and Interstate 295 between mile markers 64 and 68.
If you live in an affected area, take cover in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
Wow, I was caught in the maelstrom. I had a 2:30 dental appointment at the Princeton Shopping Center and the weather actually seemed to be improving at that time. So I had hopes that the predicted storm would not occur. I then went shopping at McCaffrey’s since the weather was still OK and it was not even raining. But as I exited McCaffrey’s all hell broke loose. There were strong wind gusts, it was pouring slush and I got drenched as I loaded the car. I managed to get home without being blown off the roads. The weather predictors were spot on this time around.