Graduates and guests at a local graduation were witnesses to frightening weather on Thursday. A frightening-looking cloud moved over the field during the graduation ceremony for Absegami High School in Galloway Township, around 7 p.m.
Credit: Matthew R. Blanchard
The cloud brought with it thunder and lightning as well as hail as the stunned crowd and students ran for cover. A Galloway Police lieutenant told the Galloway Patch eight to 10 injuries were reported, mostly seizures and asthma. The officer claimed two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, according to the Patch.
The cloud had the appearance of a tornado or funnel cloud though NBC10’s Sheena Parveen says it was neither. Instead it was a severe thunderstorm which produced a wall cloud. While tornadoes or funnel clouds can form from this, the cloud appeared to have no rotation, there was no tornado, according to NBC10 meteorologist Bill Henley.
Yet while it may not have been a tornado, it was a scary experience that the graduation attendees will likely never forget.
On Friday night, NBC10 confirmed that Galloway Township Police will soon meet with the Great Egg Harbor Regional School District about why they decided to hold graduation outdoors, despite the pending storm.
