Tornadoes, high winds, severe thunderstorms possible in North Jersey

Hold on to your hats, North Jersey! Things are about to get windy.

Monday evening forecasts show severe storms and wind, with Weather.com and the National Weather Service putting out a severe weather risk for parts of the state.

The National Weather Service is calling for severe thunderstorms and patchy fog for Monday night.

"There is a possible risk of severe weather today. Wind and tornadoes are possible, but wind is the greatest threat," reads the severe weather risk from Weather.com.

While the worst of the weather is predicted for just below the North Jersey area to near Washington D.C., climatologist Dr. David Robinson explained the North Jersey area won't be completely spared from the severe weather.

"The major concern is with wind and potentially some hail. And of course, when you get thunderstorms, there's always lightning," Robinson said. "In other words, this is a severe weather threat."

The weather.com forecast predicts wind speeds will peak at 13 miles per hour between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. These gusts are expected to hold strong and be accompanied by thunderstorms for the remainder of the evening and into early Tuesday morning.

There are two types of winds in severe weather, said Robinson. There is the straight-line wind, which brings very strong gusts. The straight-line wind will most likely hit the northern part of the state. The other type is made up of rotating, tornado-forming winds - which Robinson said remain possible but unlikely.

The strength of the storms and accompanying wind will be left to how much more sun the area will get before the storms hit.

"The more sun we get between now and late afternoon, the more destabilized the atmosphere gets, it gets warmer and it gets more turbulent," Robinson said. "The other positive is that the front's not due until early evening, so the major heating of the day is over."

Severe thunderstorm watch

There is a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for the northeastern parts of the state until 1 a.m. The watch means that tornadoes, hail and high winds are possible. The affected counties are Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson and Union.

Tornado watch

The National Weather Service had initially put out a tornado watch in effect until 11 p.m. for several southern New Jersey counties. The counties include: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem and Warren.

Around 6:15 p.m., the tornado watch was expanded to include: Sussex, Morris, Somerset, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Airport disruptions

Newark Liberty International Airport advised travelers that the weather has affected flights.

"Weather conditions have caused #EWR Airport flight disruptions. Please check with your airline to determine the status of your flight," the airport tweeted

How to prepare for severe weather

New Jersey power outage map: How to check your status

Robinson suggested that people continue to monitor forecasts so that they can make informed decisions on how to remain safe, especially since northern New Jersey is currently under a severe weather watch.

"Right now we're in a watch situation, which means the ingredients are there, the potential is there, but we don't know the details yet," Robinson said. "When a warning comes, that means things are unfolding. As the warning is issued, something is there and is going to prove a threat to you in short order. So then you have to know where to get to a place to keep yourself safe."

It is also common among weather events like this for power outages to occur. The national government suggests the following tips when preparing for a potential outage:

• Keep freezers and refrigerators closed

• Use generators, but only outdoors and away from windows

• Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home

• Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges

• Have a backup plan to refrigerate medicines and other power-dependent medical devices

• Learn more about heating and cooling locations in your area

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: North Jersey weather: Tornadoes, severe storms possible Monday night