Tornado Watch Issued for South Jersey as Violent Storms Sweep the Region

On Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service slapped a tornado watch across a swath of South Jersey that includes Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties. The watch, which runs until 9 p.m., signals that conditions are ripe for a tornado to form—something the forecasters describe as a ‘severe’ threat to both life and property.

But it’s not just the tornado risk that’s causing a stir. Alongside the watch, meteorologists warned of lightning strikes that could pepper the sky, and hail the size of a quarter pounding rooftops and car hoods. Expect heavy downpours as well; the storm system is dumping a lot of water in a short amount of time.

Residents in towns like Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Haddonfield and Collingswood have already reported sudden gusts and booming thunder that seem to echo for miles. Local emergency services are on standby, and officials are urging anyone outdoors to seek shelter immediately, especially if the sky darkens and the wind picks up.

While the watch doesn’t guarantee a tornado will touch down, it does mean people should stay tuned to local alerts, keep radios or phone alerts on, and avoid unnecessary travel. The National Weather Service emphasized that the atmosphere is “primed for rotation,” which is the technical way of saying a twister could spin up at any moment.

If you’re in the affected counties, keep an eye on the sky, listen for the tornado siren, and have a safe spot—like a basement or interior room on the lowest floor—ready. And for those who just want the latest updates, Patch will keep feeding you the newest information as the storm rolls through.