NJ Community Declared Disaster Zone After Furious Storms

Thousands in the tri-state were without power Friday following a frightening Halloween night featuring severe thunderstorms and threats of tornadoes -- and the raging winds continued to plague the tri-state for much of a second day.

A wind advisory remained in effect for parts of the region through Friday evening, while freeze warnings or watches are in effect for more than a dozen counties leading into Saturday as temperatures plunge into the low 50s.

Click here to check the latest severe weather alerts in your neighborhood.

The powerful storms triggered rare tornado threats for spots in the tri-stae; a tornado warning was issued for parts of New Jersey shortly after midnight. A National Weather Service statement advising people to take cover immediately said "a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado" was located just north of Trenton, moving northeast at 55 mph, with radar indicating rotation.

The borough of Madison was particularly hard-hit. Local authorities declared a disaster area effective at 1 a.m. Friday, authorizing whatever actions needed to be done, from road closures to outside assistance, to repair the damage.

The severe weather and dangerous winds knocked out power for over 52,000 customers across the region. A tree also fell on a trick-or-treater in New York, leaving the little girl with broken bones.

The late-night storms also caused major disruptions to Metro-North’s New Haven line, and extensive delays on some LIRR and NJ Transit lines as well. 

The sun returns for the weekend, though. Marathon Sunday looks dry and chilly as the area dips into the 30s and near 40 early in the morning.

Friendly reminder: also on Sunday, daylight saving (NOT savings) time goes into effect, and clocks fall back one hour.

Get real-time transit updates from all your key commute sources below.

Photo Credit: News 4
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