BORDENTOWN, N.J. — November 12, 2026 — A powerful storm with a radar-confirmed tornado swept through parts of central and southern New Jersey Thursday afternoon, damaging buildings, uprooting trees and bringing dangerous conditions to the New Jersey Turnpike, where traffic camera footage showed motorists stopping beneath toll booths as intense winds and rain moved through.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning at 4:03 p.m. after identifying a tornado-producing storm near Crosswicks, about eight miles southeast of Trenton. The storm was moving northeast at approximately 25 mph, threatening communities across Burlington, Mercer and Monmouth counties.
The warning identified Bordentown, Crosswicks, Allentown, Windsor and surrounding communities as locations at risk. Drivers traveling along the New Jersey Turnpike near Exit 8 and portions of Interstate 195 were also in the storm’s projected path.
Buildings Damaged, Trees Uprooted
Reports of storm damage began emerging from the Chesterfield area shortly after 4 p.m.
According to preliminary National Weather Service storm reports, a barn and garage collapsed along Old York Road in Chesterfield. Local fire officials described the damage as consistent with a probable tornado.
Trained weather spotters also documented uprooted and snapped trees near Old York Road and Bordentown-Chesterfield Road.
Emergency officials reported downed electrical wires along Old York Road and White Pine Road in Mansfield Township.
The storm brought large hail as well. A trained spotter reported hail measuring approximately 1.5 inches in diameter in Bordentown, large enough to damage vehicles and exposed property.
The National Weather Service was assessing the damage to determine whether a tornado touched down, its path and its intensity. The radar confirmation issued during the storm was not yet a final ground-survey assessment.
Drivers Stop Beneath Turnpike Toll Booths
One of the most striking images from Thursday’s storm came from a New Jersey Turnpike traffic camera near Bordentown.
Footage circulated online showed several vehicles stopped beneath a toll plaza canopy while heavy rain and strong winds swept across the roadway. The scene illustrated how quickly dangerous weather conditions developed for drivers caught in the storm.
However, meteorologists warn that toll plazas, highway overpasses and similar structures are not safe tornado shelters. Winds can funnel through these areas, while flying debris presents an additional danger.
The National Weather Service advises people facing a tornado warning to seek shelter in a sturdy building, preferably in a basement or small interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
Storm Chasers Seek Shelter in Monmouth County
The severe weather also affected communities farther northeast.
News 12 New Jersey reporter Jim Murdoch and photojournalist Chris Logan were tracking the storm in southwestern Monmouth County when conditions deteriorated.
After leaving Interstate 195, the crew sought shelter in the basement of a gas station and deli near Route 539.
Murdoch reported seeing a rotating wall cloud as the storm approached. Hail subsequently covered the ground, and nearby motorists reported cracked windshields.
News 12 also reported flooding near the dam in Allentown. No immediate injuries were reported in the Allentown and Upper Freehold Township area.
Damage Assessment Continues
Although the afternoon storm produced a radar-confirmed tornado warning and damage consistent with possible tornado activity, officials had not completed the ground survey needed to establish the tornado’s final track and strength.
The National Weather Service canceled the remaining tornado watch for the region by Thursday evening as the system moved away.
For residents in Chesterfield, Bordentown and neighboring communities, the immediate concern was the damage left behind, including damaged structures, fallen trees and hazardous power lines.
A fuller assessment is expected to clarify the storm’s impact and whether the destruction resulted from a tornado, powerful straight-line winds or a combination of severe weather hazards.
Sources: National Weather Service Mount Holly, tornado warning and preliminary storm reports, November 12, 2026; News 12 New Jersey, November 12, 2026; Patch, November 12, 2026.
By NJ RADAR Team