New Jersey is under a Tornado Watch for 16 counties as severe thunderstorms sweep the region, bringing wind gusts up to 70 mph and hail the size of ping-pong balls. The National Weather Service issued the watch until 9:00 p.m. Saturday, warning of favorable conditions for supercells and isolated tornadoes. More than 14 million people are affected, with convective energy exceeding 3,000 J/kg and wind shear up to 45 knots. Torrential rain has triggered Flash Flood Warnings in central and southern New Jersey, while in New York City flooding has temporarily closed major highways, stranding vehicles and disrupting traffic management efforts.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.