PARSIPPANY — Severe thunderstorms tore through North Jersey Tuesday afternoon, spawning a tornado warning for southeastern Morris County and prompting a trained weather spotter to report a tornado on the ground near a driving range in Parsippany.
The National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office issued a tornado warning at 2:57 p.m. Tuesday for an area that included Parsippany, Morristown, Madison, East Hanover, Morris Plains and several surrounding towns, warning of possible flying debris, roof and vehicle damage, and downed trees. The warning came on the heels of a flash flood warning issued minutes earlier for the same area.
According to a report logged through RadarScope Pro, a severe weather tracking service, a trained spotter submitted video of a tornado on the ground near a driving range in the Troy Hills section of Parsippany at approximately 2:43 p.m. Tuesday, with the exact time estimated from radar data.
The National Weather Service also said it is reviewing a video posted on social media showing a funnel cloud touching down on the ground at a golf center in Parsippany, about one mile north of the Troy Hills area, at approximately 2:45 p.m. Tuesday.
The National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly office received a report of a tornado in the area Tuesday afternoon, but said a damage survey would be needed Wednesday to confirm it.
Photos and video circulating online also showed a dark, rotating cloud formation over the area near the Topgolf on Route 46. Professional photographer Michael Ostendorp captured footage of the ominous, rotating clouds over Parsippany, writing that “something was trying to rotate (and touch down?) right over us.” In the video, he can be heard reassuring people nearby that the storm “hasn’t touched down” while children in the background react in alarm.
Parsippany was not alone. Preliminary reports suggest as many as two tornadoes may have touched down elsewhere in Morris County Tuesday, with rotation also spotted over Dover and Florham Park. As is standard, the National Weather Service will need to complete on-the-ground damage surveys before officially confirming any touchdowns.
Check back with Parsippany Focus for updates as the National Weather Service completes its damage assessment.
