On the evening of November 13, an EF‑1 tornado swept through Chesterfield in Burlington County, New Jersey, bringing winds up to 100 mph. The brief but violent storm ripped sections of roofs from homes, toppled trees, and downed power lines along Old York Road and surrounding streets.
Damage to homes and personal stories
One of the hardest‑hit properties belonged to 84‑year‑old Raymond Russell. The tornado partially tore the roof from his house, sending debris into a neighbor’s yard. Russell, a longtime Chesterfield resident of nearly 50 years, expressed uncertainty about his future plans after the storm. “I’m 84 years old. I’ve lived here almost 50 years. I don’t know when it’s done whether I’ll stay,” he said.
Russell’s son, Raymond Russell III, noted that his father escaped serious injury and that the family’s car remained untouched. “He wasn’t hurt or worse. His car never got damaged. And he’s got a place to stay,” the younger Russell added.
Neighbor Cindy Monterroso described the scene when she saw the roof debris in her yard. “We walked over there, the roof was gone. We were like, oh my God, what’s going on? We had no idea what had happened,” she recalled.
Other impacts and response
Further along the tornado’s 1.5‑mile path, a barn housing equipment collapsed, and several homes on Orchard Drive suffered damage. PSEG crews worked throughout the night to repair downed poles and restore electricity to affected neighborhoods.
Residents also reported intense hail and a period of near‑total darkness. Chesterfield resident Tara McCreedy said the worst of the storm hit between 4:00 and 4:15 a.m., describing the sky as “pitch black” and the hail “coming down” while she and her family took shelter in their basement.
Weather officials explain
Sarah Johnson, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service, confirmed that the event featured both straight‑line wind damage and a narrow tornado track along Old York Road and Bordentown‑Chesterfield Road. “As was the case in Chesterfield today, we actually had a mix of both straight‑line wind damage, as well as we did have a narrow path kind of in the Old York Road, Bordentown Chesterfield Road area. That was determined to be tornado damage,” Johnson said.
Johnson noted this was New Jersey’s sixth tornado of the year, an unusual occurrence for November when tornadoes are typically a spring and summer phenomenon.
Community resilience
Despite the damage, the community’s response has been swift. Local volunteers have begun clearing debris, and neighbors are checking on one another, especially the elderly. No injuries have been reported, a testament to the preparedness of residents who sought shelter promptly.
The National Weather Service will continue monitoring the area for any lingering hazards, and officials encourage anyone who notices downed power lines or unsafe structures to report them immediately.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
