Strong winds cause damage, power outages around New Jersey

Strong wind gusts caused a lot of damage and left thousands of New Jerseyans without power Monday.

Wind gusts were averaging 35 to 50 mph for most of Monday, with strong winds expected to continue into Tuesday.

The winds were responsible for knocking over dozens of trees around the state. Many towns, including Bridgewater, Fanwood, Hanover Rahway, Roselle Park, Roselle and Ridgewood reported multiple downed trees

In Bridgewater, a tree on Foothills Road nearly split a house in half. No injuries were reported.

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The wind caused a large tree to uproot and crash into the side of a Rahway home on Harrison Street. Homeowner Rodney Gabriel says that he is now worried that tree caused structural damage to his house.

"I heard a loud thump. And I thought it was just a branch hitting the roof. When I went upstairs to the bedroom, there was a big hole in the wall,” Gabriel said.

Roselle resident Elena Osorio said that a 35-foot pine tree crashed near her home Monday morning.

“Thank goodness nobody got hurt. No structural damage. Thank goodness, just the power is out,” she says.

Thousands were left without power due to the winds knocking down other trees and utility lines. PS&G, JCP&L and other utility companies had crews out around the state working to restore power.

The high winds forced an empty trailer and tandem trailer ban on all Port Authority bridges. These include the George Washington Bridge, Bayonne Bridge, Goethals Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing. On the Bayonne Bridge, a tractor-trailer and motorcycle ban was in effect as well.

Area airports were also reporting delays due to the wind issues. Travelers were urged to check with their carrier before heading to the airport due to delays and possible cancellations.