Thursday, August 15, 2013

Tornado - State of New Jersey, [Stafford Township, Ocean County]

Earth Watch Report - Tornadoes

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Tornado

USA

State of New Jersey, [Stafford Township, Ocean County]

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Tornado in USA on Wednesday, 14 August, 2013 at 12:47 (12:47 PM) UTC.

Description

The National Weather Service confirms that an EF0 tornado touched down in Stafford Township, Ocean County Tuesday morning. The twister was part of a series of powerful storms with damaging winds that blew through southern and central New Jersey. he storm that hit Stafford Township was rotating, a central characteristic of tornadoes, said Walter Drag, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Inspectors were sent to the scene to confirm whether it was a tornado by studying damage on the ground. It was not immediately clear how much damage the storm caused in Stafford, an Ocean County municipality through which thousands of vacationers pass each year on their way to and from Long Beach Island. But power lines were knocked down, traffic lights knocked out and roads flooded. The weather service had issued a tornado warning for the storm as it crossed Harvey Cedars and Barnegat Light on the island but canceled it right around the time the storm reached Stafford. "We had numerous storms that had rotation," Drag said. "There were numerous cells. It was a tough couple hours out there." The storm that hit Stafford was one of a line of powerful storms with damaging winds that raked southern and central New Jersey. Drag said the storms moved from east to west across Salem and Gloucester counties, touching part of Camden County as well. The storms left thousands of New Jersey residents without power after dumping 2 inches or more of rain. Flooding was reported in Middletown, Long Branch, Neptune, Wall Township, Ocean Township, Deal, Little Egg Harbor Township, Deptford, Paulsboro, Gloucester City, Woodbury and Lindenwold.

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Tornado touches down, smacks southern N.J. during intense storms

>A possible tornado touched down in Manahawkin, Ocean County today. The Manahawkin Baptist Church and its school, Lighthouse Christian Academy, both suffered damage. Downed trees litter the grounds of the church. -- Manahawkin, New Jersey. Tuesday, August 13, 2013. Photo by David Gard/For the Star-Ledger

David Gard

By Erin O'Neill/The Star-Ledger
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on August 14, 2013 at 6:00 AM, updated August 14, 2013 at 11:47 AM

STAFFORD TOWNSHIP — When the skies cleared above Manahawkin Baptist Church Tuesday after a tornado barrelled through, a section of mangled framing shaped like a cross sat perched near a gaping hole in the building’s roof.
"It’s pretty amazing," said Doug Welbourn, the pastor of the church on Beach Avenue in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township. "I don’t know if God did that or just the weather but it’s kind of an encouraging thing for a bunch of Christians."
The tornado ripped a two-mile path 50 to 100 yards wide through the Ocean County community just west of Long Beach Island at 10:05 a.m. Tuesday, weather officials confirmed last night.
The twister, which dissipated after five minutes, shattered windows, downed trees and power lines and tore off a large section of the church’s roof. Packing winds between 75 and 85 miles per hour, the tornado was rated an EF0, which is the weakest designation possible, according to Patrick O’Hara, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
It was the second tornado to hit the state this year. One touched down in Berkeley Heights in early July, causing extensive damage but no injuries.
New Jersey, on average, sees about three tornadoes a year, according to the state climatologist.
Nathan Didlake, the youth and worship arts director for Manahawkin Baptist Church, was downstairs working when the storm passed through.
He said the lights started flickering and then he looked outside and "all the trees were just bending over, it got super, super dark, and then [I heard] this blood-curdling sound."
He said as he ran upstairs to check on two women, he heard an "unbelievable crunching sound" as part of the roof peeled back.
"As it was happening, stuff was just flying everywhere. Windows were shattering," he said.
Luckily, he said, nobody was hurt. Neither were any of the employees of the Lighthouse Christian Academy next door that also sustained roof and water damage during the storm.
"It’s very devastating, but it’s just a building," said church elder Brian Kilcoyne, as he shoveled pieces of glass and drywall into a black garbage bag. "This is just a building and a church is made up of people."

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