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Lightning blamed for the death of Chesco motorist. Downpours inundate Jersey

State police said that around 3:10 p.m. a tree branch felled by lightning crashed atop a vehicle in Highland Township, killing the victim on impact.

Peco crews work on restoring power along Washington Avenue in Newtown, Bucks County, after the April 1 tornado outbreak. No twisters were reported Saturday, but some places got hit hard by storms.
Peco crews work on restoring power along Washington Avenue in Newtown, Bucks County, after the April 1 tornado outbreak. No twisters were reported Saturday, but some places got hit hard by storms.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
    by Anthony R. Wood
    Updated 
    Published 

Lightning was blamed in the death of a Chester County motorist, and slow-moving downpours targeted parts of South Jersey and Bucks County on Saturday, prompting flood advisories, closing inundated roads, taking down large trees, and pelting numerous towns with hailstones.

State police said that, about 3:10 p.m., a tree branch felled by lightning crashed atop a 2014 Kia Sportage SUV in Highland Township, killing the victim on impact. A passenger was taken to Paoli Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Another passenger was not injured. Their names were not released.

On the other side of the Delaware River, the National Weather Service reported that nearly 2 inches of rain fell on Mount Laurel in just 50 minutes.

Up to 3 feet of water pooled atop Larchmont Boulevard at Willow Turn, stranding at least one vehicle, the weather service said. Waters blocked lanes on Creek Road near Route 38. “Multiple large tree limbs” were draped upon portions of Marne Highway near Hartford Road.

» READ MORE: Tornado and flood warnings might be delayed on Twitter, weather service advises

The storms’ ponderous movements became problematic during the afternoon. “Storm motion,” the weather service said, has been “slow .... allowing for heavy downpours to train over the same location for a prolonged period.”

As storms are wont to do during the warm seasons, these were capricious in selecting their targets.

While prodigious rains were falling about 20 miles to the east, not so much as a droplet was observed officially at Philadelphia International Airport as of 7 p.m. Philly rainfall since March 1 has been about half of normal.

» READ MORE: In the April 1 tornado outbreak, the sun was a big player.

The deluges were set off by an approaching front that is forecast to restore some sense of thermal sanity to the region after a run of summery temperatures in the 80s.

Sunday is expected to be dry, and still warm, with readings in the low 80s, but they are not expected to get out of the 60s Monday through Wednesday.