NJ Weather: Expect 55-MPH Winds, Power Outages, State Police Warn

NEW JERSEY – The State Police have warned that power outages are possible in New Jersey on Monday and Tuesday because of 55-mph winds as gusty weather has hit the Garden State.

Col. Pat Callahan, the superintendent of the State Police, said the gusty weather could uproot trees and utility poles that were compromised by rain and melting snow.

Already, more than 1,000 people were without power in Newark on Monday afternoon.

A wind advisory was issued in New Jersey since wind gusts up to 55 mph are expected to hit the Garden State Monday evening until 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Because of that, Callahan said to expect power outages caused by downed poles and trees. Speaking during a Monday news conference, he told the public: "Don't go toward any downed line because they are fatal."

Gov. Phil Murphy offered a similar warning during the news conference, noting that two people died in early 2018 because they made contact with downed wires after winter weather hit New Jersey.

"f there is a downed line, don't go anywhere near it," he said.

The National Weather Service issued the wind advisory for all of New Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania around 6 a.m. on March 1. The wind advisory remains in effect from 4 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph can be expected throughout New Jersey, east central and southeast Pennsylvania and northern Delaware.

On top of the wet weather we've seen over the past day and a half we anticipate a round of strong winds to move through the region. Steady winds of 20 to 30 mph with occasional gusts to 50 mph possible overnight Monday into Tuesday morning. pic.twitter.com/4GPBjUZO1K
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) March" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/NWS_MountH... 1, 2021

Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects and tree limbs, according to the National Weather Service. A few power outages may also result.

Residents are urged to use extra caution when driving and secure outdoor objects such as sports equipment and backyard furniture.

Here is the forecast:

Monday afternoon: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 51. Breezy, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.

Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22. Blustery, with a northwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 37. Breezy, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. Southwest wind around 5 mph.