photo by Boyd Loving Ridge Road, Ridgewood
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ – Powerful thunderstorms swept across the Garden State on the evening of Friday, July 25, bringing damaging winds, power outages, and travel disruptions. Nearly 20,000 customers statewide lost electricity as intense storms moved through the region, the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed.
🌩️ Strong Winds & Widespread Power Outages
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Newark Liberty International Airport recorded a wind gust of 63 mph, highlighting the storm’s severity.
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JCP&L reported 10,888 customers without power as of 6:30 p.m., with Ocean County hit hardest.
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PSE&G’s outage map showed 8,547 customers in the dark, with Union and Essex counties seeing the largest impact.
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Orange & Rockland Utilities reported 98 Bergen County customers without power.
The entire Northeast was under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m., and additional weather advisories remain possible as cleanup continues.
🌳 Major Incident in Paramus: Tree Brings Down Power Lines & Poles
In Paramus, a large borough-owned tree came crashing down on Farview Avenue, taking utility wires and three poles with it.
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Fallen wires sparked a roadway fire and ignited a small grass fire, according to Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti.
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Farview Avenue is completely closed between Century Road and Spring Valley Road, with no through traffic permitted.
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Multiple traffic signals are out in the area, causing significant disruptions.
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Nearby businesses remain without power as crews work to restore service.
Emergency crews from the Paramus Police and Fire Departments, along with the Paramus Shade Tree Department, are on site awaiting PSE&G to cut power so the area can be safely cleared. Detours have been established, and drivers are urged to avoid the area.
🚆 NJ Transit & Travel Delays
Severe weather also caused major transit disruptions:
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Morris & Essex Line service was suspended between Morristown and Dover due to a tree on the overhead wires but later resumed with up to 60-minute delays.
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Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line trains experienced 15-minute delays out of NYC Penn Station due to Amtrak overhead wire issues.
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An earlier disabled train in the Hudson River Tunnels caused delays of up to 40 minutes in and out of Penn Station New York.
🌡️ Scorching Heat Before the Storms
Before the thunderstorms rolled in, Friday brought near-record high temperatures across North Jersey:
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100°F – Harrison
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98°F – Bergenfield
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97°F – Paterson & Elizabeth
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96°F – Lyndhurst
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95°F – Sussex, North Haledon & Sparta
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94°F – Ramsey
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91°F – Wantage
The extreme heat added strain to the power grid and created hazardous conditions for outdoor activities.
🛑 Safety & Recovery Efforts Ongoing
Crews from utility companies, emergency services, and local municipalities continue working to clear debris, restore power, and reopen affected roadways. Residents are urged to:
✅ Stay away from downed power lines
✅ Avoid flooded or debris-covered roads
✅ Monitor local alerts for updates on power restoration and traffic conditions
For the latest outage updates, visit:
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