The National Weather Service (NWS) is urging residents of New Jersey to remain in a shelter for the next few hours. It had issued a tornado warning for parts of Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth counties on Tuesday afternoon after a cluster of booming thunderstorms continues to sweep across Central New Jersey.

It wasn’t immediately clear if a funnel cloud was spotted on the ground or if forecasters noticed cloud rotation on the radar. The weather forecasters said, “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Edinburg, or 7 miles east of Trenton, moving east at 45 mph.”

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“Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely,” the warning note stated. 

Some rare February thunderstorms started to roar across parts of New Jersey on Tuesday afternoon, pushing the National Weather Service to issue alerts in multiple counties, including a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties.

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The forecasters warned of wind gusts that could get as strong as 60 mph. They also added that quarter-size hail is possible with some of the storm cells that are moving through those areas of the state.

In its statements, it advised residents of Hunterdon County that a strong thunderstorm packing 40 mph winds will be moving across the region. 

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A major thunderstorm cell also has its sight set on Cape May County, the weather service alerted shortly after 3 pm.

Another weather statement warned of gusty rain showers with isolated thunderstorm cells moving across parts of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Ocean counties.