Second round of severe storms leaves nearly 90,000 jcp&l customers without power across new jersey

Second Round of Severe Storms Leaves Nearly 90,000 JCP&L Customers Without Power Across New Jersey

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Heavy rain, damaging winds and frequent lightning swept across New Jersey late Sunday night, knocking out power to nearly 90,000 customers and bringing down trees across multiple counties.
July 5, 2026
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New Jersey – A second round of severe thunderstorms moved across New Jersey beginning around 10 p.m. Sunday, bringing heavy rain, strong wind gusts, thunder and frequent lightning that continued for several hours. The storms left widespread power outages and reports of fallen trees as utility crews began restoration efforts overnight.

According to Jersey Central Power & Light, 87,483 customers were without electricity as of early Monday. The outages stretched across much of central and northern New Jersey, with several counties seeing thousands of customers lose service as the storms pushed through.

Morris, Union and Sussex counties among hardest hit

Morris County reported the largest number of outages, with 26,689 customers without power, representing 12.81% of those served. Monmouth County followed with 20,693 outages, while Ocean County reported 11,360 customers without electricity.

Although Union County had fewer total outages, it experienced the highest percentage of customers affected, with 5,614 customers—or 19.77% of those served—without power. Sussex County also sustained significant impacts, with nearly 12% of customers losing service.

Utility crews respond as cleanup begins

Other counties reporting notable outages included Hunterdon County with 4,467 customers affected, Somerset County with 3,437, Warren County with 3,789, and Middlesex County with 2,882 customers without power.

Emergency responders also handled numerous reports of downed trees and power lines as the line of storms crossed the state. Utility crews are working to restore service, though restoration times will vary depending on the extent of the damage.

Residents are urged to avoid downed power lines, use generators safely outdoors and report outages directly to their utility provider. Additional scattered outages remain possible as crews continue repairs.

Key Points

  • Nearly 90,000 Jersey Central Power & Light customers lost power after a second round of severe storms.
  • Morris, Monmouth, Ocean, Union and Sussex counties experienced the most significant impacts.
  • Heavy winds, lightning and fallen trees were reported as restoration efforts continue.
Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital news organization covering New Jersey, national politics, public policy, public safety, and community affairs. With years of experience reporting on local government, elections, law enforcement, and issues impacting residents throughout New Jersey, Stilton has built a reputation for delivering timely news, in-depth reporting, and accountability journalism.

As the founder of Shore News Network, Stilton oversees editorial operations, investigative reporting, and breaking news coverage while working closely with journalists, public officials, and community leaders. His reporting has covered municipal government, state politics, federal policy, public records investigations, emergency management, and major news events affecting local communities.

Stilton is committed to factual reporting, source verification, transparency, and providing readers with accessible, accurate information that helps them better understand the issues shaping their communities. Through Shore News Network, he continues to focus on delivering trusted news coverage and original reporting to audiences across New Jersey and beyond.

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