Marking Third Anniversary of Maplewood Microburst
The June 10, 2008 storm uprooted trees — and sidewalks — on Midland Boulevard and wrought havoc across Maplewood and Essex County.
On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, a cold front collided with hot humid air over northern New Jersey, producing some of the most dramatic thunder storms ever seen in Maplewood and Essex County.
The storm bent the young tree in front of my house completely horizontal, but did much worse damage just a few blocks away. Particularly hard hit was the block of Midland Boulevard between Summit and Richmond where almost every tree was uprooted — taking sidewalks with them and knocking through a few roofs.
Although it looked like the work of a tornado, the event was ultimately ruled a microburst — a small, very intense downdraft that can produce winds of more than 100 mph and cause significant damage.
The next day, the Star-Ledger reported that 60,000 customers were still without power in Essex County and posted dramatic photos.
Joy Yagid captured many dramatic photos herself that day, posting them on Flickr. Yagid has shared a few of those photos here.
Today, the ravaged block of Midland is blooming with new trees, roofs have been repaired, and crunched cars long ago towed away.
Fortunately, there were no significant injuries in Maplewood due to the storm.
Frank Verderosa
10:15 am on Friday, June 10, 2011
This photo (http://maplewood.patch.com/articles/marking-third-anniversary-of-maplewood-microburst#photo-6498307) is of the side of my house! Not sure who posted it. We've only been in Maplewood a year... and seeing these pictures make me glad I missed the microburst by 2 years. Yikes!!!
Mary Mann
10:39 am on Friday, June 10, 2011
Frank, it was terrible but if you read Angel Calvosa's account, you also see how it did pull the community together. I remember that is was nice to see everyone out in the streets and talking with neighbors.
Angel Calvosa
1:20 pm on Friday, June 10, 2011
This one’s for all my wonderful neighbors! Disaster can evoke a sense of community. One of the many reason’s I love living in Maplewood is what took place after that Microburst. I got a frantic phone call from my husband saying don’t come home. I didn’t listen and tried to navigate the pitch black streets lined with fallen trees. I ended up parking 8 blocks away, an eerie feeling in the pit of my stomach as I was walking down Prospect St; people were coming out of their yards with flashlights guiding me through the obstacle course. When I arrived at Prospect and Parker, I found my husband and several neighbors stringing yellow landscaping tape across the street and directing traffic away from the monstrous tree that had fallen all the way across Prospect. Neighbors stood on the streets to prevent car accidents until the police arrived. The next day the mayor at the time, Ken Pettis, stopped by to say they would get to our tree as soon as they could, but that they had to tackle the trees that were in people’s houses or on fire first.
Unfortunately, the tree took down the power line and we did not have power 4 days. All of ours and our neighbor’s food were going bad, so we took turns having BBQ’s at each other’s homes cooking up whatever we managed to preserve in coolers. Some people’s cars were blocked in and the neighbors pitched in make sure everyone got where they needed to go. We made the best of bad situation and I will never forget!
Todd Lamm
10:17 am on Friday, June 10, 2011
I remember that date well. The Township lost about 70 trees in that microburst. Once I received the call from the police dispatcher on the evening of June 10 I began my inspection at the Millburn line by Ridgewood Road. From their I followed the 300 yard path of destruction through the Village and Memorial Park to Town Hall. At Town Hall, laying across the road was the magnificent white ash which previously stood for 250 years. The tree battled many storms over the years but this one was just too much for it. I miss that "old timer."
From Town Hall I followed the path across Oakland Road where trees were on houses and curbs and sidewalks were uplifted. Each and every tree felled toward the East.
When I got to Midland Blvd. I was amazed at the destruction I saw. Trees on houses, power lines and phone lines entangled in the mess. Curbs were lifted and sidewalks were lifted six feet in the air.
From here the microburst tore a path of destruction across Union and Hudson Avenues all the way to Irvington Avenue and into Newark.
The 70 trees have all been replaced by the NJ Tree Foundation at no cost to Maplewood. We are most grateful to them for that. Todd Lamm, Maplewood Shadetree Supervisor
Mary Mann
10:38 am on Friday, June 10, 2011
Todd,
Thank you so much for this. This is a wonderfully detailed historical account of the incident! To all readers, it should be noted that Todd is the Township's Shade Tree Supervisor — he knows of what he speaks!
Carolyn Maynard-Parisi
2:26 pm on Friday, June 10, 2011
We happened to be living temporarily at the Gaslight Commons in SO when the storm hit - we had just moved out of our house on Elmwood Ave., a block from the center of the devastation and had yet to move into our new one in SO. I remember watching from the balcony of our apartment as the wind blew tables, chairs and umbrellas into the Gaslight's pool. Both our old house and the new one had minor damage. We chose a great month to not be a homeowner! The amazing thing is that no one was hurt that day.
Kerry Tilden
4:28 pm on Friday, June 10, 2011
When the storm hit, I was in the Columbia HS Auditorium listening to the Jazz Bands concert. We all heard what was happening outside because it was so loud over the music. Several of the concert attendees came out to find tree limbs had fallen and damaged their cars on Kensington Terr.
On Rutgers St., I was the first house on my grid and we had power quickly that evening. My next door neighbor and friends on Tuscan Rd and Yale did not until Friday morning. I cleared space in my freezer and refrigerator for them. I was home base for their 6th grade boys since MMS had no power there was no school and they hung with my 6th grade son. It was a 3 day slumber party here. I saw their parents when they needed their cell phones charged.
Community taking care of community--that's what I remember most.