NWS confirms microburst in Union County on Tuesday
The National Weather Service in Upton, NY has confirmed that straight-line wind damage, originating from a microburst, was the cause of significant but localized damage in Union County, NJ on Tuesday Night. A severe thunderstorm moving through the Watchung Mountains and into Union and Essex counties showed signs of rotation and strong winds on terminal doppler radar, but no evidence of a tornado has been found as of yet.
The line of showers and thunderstorms formed over parts of New Jersey on Tuesday evening in association with a frontal boundary, which was approaching the area from the west. A localized area of favorable instability and wind shear allowed the storms to briefly strengthen, despite the overall weakening trend which was being observed as storms were approaching the more stable air near the coastal plain.