60-MPH 'Microburst' Confirmed In Watchung Area, NWS Says

Those bursts of high-speed winds that knocked over trees in certain areas of New Jersey this weekend weren't tornadoes. But they were part of another potentially destructive weather phenomenon.

A 60-mph microburst was in New Jersey around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, the National Weather Service has confirmed, leaving some damage in its path. The microburst was discovered near Interstate 78, about a mile north of Watchung.

A microburst is a downdraft patch of strong, scattered winds lasting less than 5 minutes. Microbursts may induce dangerous horizontal and vertical wind shears. It can have "tornadic" winds, according to the NWS, but they don't spin in a circle.

The weakest tornadoes typically have winds that are no slower than 65 mph, Alex Staarman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. This microburst's winds were 50 to 60 mph.

The path of damage also was not indicative of a tornado, Staarman said. "There were some medium-sized trees that were down but it was really sporadic," he said.

Staarman the NWS is looking into information provided by a television station in Connecticut that shows tornado debris "lofted into the air" in Somerset County.

A tornado warning had been in effect in Somerset, Hillsborough, Mercer and Middlesex counties at the time of the incident report, according to the NWS.

Photo courtesy of marc carpenter‏@mcadehaven