What is it about summer that delivers one violent storm after another?

Lightning
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In New Jersey, a number of factors are at play, according to Kevin Hopler, a meteorologist with WeatherWorks in Hackettstown.

"You have a hot, humid air mass, and you have some of these stronger cold fronts that start coming out of the northwest," Hopler said.

He said New Jersey is very different from surrounding states due to varying "climate zones," from the shores to the Pine Barrens, and from the urban areas to the mountains in northwest New Jersey.

The Garden State has been the victim of a number of nasty storms over the past few weeks, resulting in downed trees, home damage and lengthy power outages. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was in effect for the entire state Monday night with the threat returning later Tuesday.

"It's very common for thunderstorms to develop during the late afternoon hours and then move from west to east across the state," Hopler said. "It's really just the weather pattern that we're in."

Hopler said the biggest concern with these storms is the rainfall. A number of areas have been repeatedly hit with downpours, and the current round of storms could add another three inches.

"That's definitely going to result in a lot of ponding on the roads, a lot of roadway flooding and poor draining flooding," he said.

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