More storms targeting South Jersey

Yet another round of strong thunderstorms rumbled through the region late Tuesday, just in time for the peak commuting period, and once again they had a particular ferocity in South Jersey.

Flash-flood warnings were in effect for parts of Camden and Gloucester Counties, and flood advisories were posted for just about the entire southern half of the state.

Hailstones an inch in diameter - about the size of a quarter - were reported in Tabernacle, Burlington County.

With rains forecast to continue well into the night, the National Weather Service extended its flash-flood watch for the entire region through 6 a.m. Wednesday. Scattered power outages were reported Tuesday night, the bulk of them near the Jersey Shore.

But the storms evidently weren't quite as intense as the ones Monday night that battered Burlington County, which at one point was under a tornado warning, and parts of Philadelphia and Bucks and Camden Counties.

While winds up to 65 m.p.h. were clocked Monday in Burlington County, no tornado was documented by a National Weather Service investigation.

The weather service did verify a damaging "downburst" wind - a powerful thunderstorm downdraft - of 80 m.p.h. in Voorhees, Camden County.

At the height of the Monday night havoc, about a dozen people had to be helped out of their cars by emergency personnel as a result of high water in Bristol Borough, Bucks County.

Bristol Police Sgt. Joe Moors said Tuesday that the heavy rain flooded many areas, even some that usually do not take on water. Particularly troublesome spots included the Green Lane underpass and Wilson Avenue.

Monday's powerful storms were accompanied by booming thunder throughout the region and vivid lightning.

They knocked out power to a total of 46,000 Peco customers, spokesman Greg Smore said Tuesday.

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This article contains information from the Associated Press.