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| Hurricanes and New Jersey |
The following are some of New Jersey's significant tropical cyclones:
1821 Sept. 3. The eye of the Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane tracked along what is today the Garden
State Parkway. Hurricane-force gusts caused widespread crop and property losses in eastern New Jersey.
Major damage at shore areas. One of the state's notable hurricanes.
1878 The Great October Gale on the 23rd raked southwestern New Jersey with hurricane-force winds. The
oyster fleet and villages along the Delaware Bay were ravaged. At least 150 buildings unroofed in Camden.
Many roofs were lost in Trenton and elsewhere in western New Jersey.
1882 Remnants of two hurricanes produced disastrous flooding in northern sections of the state. The first,
on Sept. 11-12, dumped up to 10 inches of rain. The second, from Sept. 20-24, dumped even more. September
rainfall at Paterson totaled 25.98 inches, a state monthly record.
1889 From October 8-11, a hurricane stalled and dissipated off the coast. Tremendous damage along the
Jersey shore. One of the state's most destructive coastal storms.
1903 A borderline tropical storm/hurricane on Sept. 16 made landfall near Atlantic City, the only known
tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Garden State. Gales and modest rain, as well as scattered damage
along the Jersey coast. A second, more potent, tropical cyclone stalled off the coast from Oct. 8-11. It dumped
more than a foot of rain in northern New Jersey causing severe flooding, particularly in the Passaic and
Delaware river valleys. Storm totals included 15.10 inches of rain in Paterson and 11.58 inches in Newark.
1925 Dec. 2-3. The latest hurricane on record to strike the United States (Dec.1) tracked offshore. 64 mph
wind at Atlantic City, with a gust of 70 mph. Gales driving long-continued rain did modest damage along the
Jersey coast.
1933 The Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane passed well west of the state on August 23 but heavy rain
caused extensive flooding, particularly in northeastern New Jersey.
1934 Morro Castle Storm. On Sept. 8, gales and incessant rain from a tropical cyclone off the coast
hindered rescue operations of the burning ocean liner, Morro Castle. A total of 134 people died, many from
drowning.
1936 On Sept. 18 a Category 2 hurricane passed about 50 miles off the southeastern New Jersey coast.
Hurricane-force gusts pounded Cape May. The Long Island, a fishing boat, sank on the Delaware Bay with the
loss of seven crew members.
1938 The Great New England Hurricane of Sept. 21 battered the Jersey shore with high winds and ravaging
surf. Torrential rain throughout the state caused widespread flooding. Gales uprooted countless trees.
1939 A remnant hurricane system dropped a state (official) 24-hour rainfall record 14.81 inches on Aug.
19-20 at the weather station in Tuckerton. Flooding caused a train wreck at Chatsworth, about 20 miles away.
1940 A hurricane tracked about 150 miles offshore stalling a line of thunderstorms over western New
Jersey. 22.4 inches of rain fell on Ewan in about nine hours on Sept. 1, setting an (unofficial) state 24-hour
rainfall record. (Ewan is just 20 miles south of Philadelphia.) Widespread dam failures.
1944 The Great Atlantic Hurricane, a Category 3 storm, tracked about 40 miles offshore on Sept. 14. Gusts
of 80 to 100 mph blasted coastal areas. A series of huge storm waves caused catastrophic oceanfront damage
within minutes at Atlantic City and in many other places.
1954 Hurricane Hazel on Oct. 15. Although the center of the storm passed well west of New Jersey, gusts of
hurricane force were widespread especially in western New Jersey. Millville reported a state-high gust of 86
mph. Generally, less than an inch of rain throughout the state.
1955 Hurricanes Connie and Diane, on Aug.12-13 and Aug. 18-19, respectively, dumped heavy rain on the
northern half of New Jersey. Record flooding occurred along the Delaware River.
1960 Hurricane Donna on Sept. 12 swept the Jersey shore with hurricane-force gusts and created
damaging surf. Gales elsewhere in the state, with several inches of rain. Donna's 80-mile-wide eye brushed
the shore, providing a brief interlude and glimpse of the sun before high winds returned.
1971 Tropical Storm Doria produced one of the state's memorable floods on Aug. 27-28. Princeton
collected 10.15 inches of rain. Severe flooding in the Raritan River valley and elsewhere in central and northern
New Jersey.
1979 The remnants of Hurricane David spawned tornadoes in Cape May, Gloucester and Salem counties
on Sept. 5-6. David dumped 3-6 inches of rain on the state.
1985 Hurricane Gloria provided a scare on Sept. 27. Winds gusted to near hurricane force in isolated shore
locations and heavy rain was widespread, but Gloria was considerably less destructive than expected.
1999 Hurricane Floyd on Sept. 16 dumped more than 8 inches of rain in 12 of New Jersey's 21 counties.
Devastating flooding occurred along the Raritan and other rivers in central and northern sections of the state.
2004 Hurricanes Ivan (Sept. 17) and Jeanne (Sept. 28) brought heavy rain and significant flooding,
especially to the Delaware River Valley. The Delaware River reached its highest level since August 1955.
Much additional information on New Jersey hurricanes is contained in the book,
Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States.
1821 Sept. 3. The eye of the Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane tracked along what is today the Garden
State Parkway. Hurricane-force gusts caused widespread crop and property losses in eastern New Jersey.
Major damage at shore areas. One of the state's notable hurricanes.
1878 The Great October Gale on the 23rd raked southwestern New Jersey with hurricane-force winds. The
oyster fleet and villages along the Delaware Bay were ravaged. At least 150 buildings unroofed in Camden.
Many roofs were lost in Trenton and elsewhere in western New Jersey.
1882 Remnants of two hurricanes produced disastrous flooding in northern sections of the state. The first,
on Sept. 11-12, dumped up to 10 inches of rain. The second, from Sept. 20-24, dumped even more. September
rainfall at Paterson totaled 25.98 inches, a state monthly record.
1889 From October 8-11, a hurricane stalled and dissipated off the coast. Tremendous damage along the
Jersey shore. One of the state's most destructive coastal storms.
1903 A borderline tropical storm/hurricane on Sept. 16 made landfall near Atlantic City, the only known
tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Garden State. Gales and modest rain, as well as scattered damage
along the Jersey coast. A second, more potent, tropical cyclone stalled off the coast from Oct. 8-11. It dumped
more than a foot of rain in northern New Jersey causing severe flooding, particularly in the Passaic and
Delaware river valleys. Storm totals included 15.10 inches of rain in Paterson and 11.58 inches in Newark.
1925 Dec. 2-3. The latest hurricane on record to strike the United States (Dec.1) tracked offshore. 64 mph
wind at Atlantic City, with a gust of 70 mph. Gales driving long-continued rain did modest damage along the
Jersey coast.
1933 The Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane passed well west of the state on August 23 but heavy rain
caused extensive flooding, particularly in northeastern New Jersey.
1934 Morro Castle Storm. On Sept. 8, gales and incessant rain from a tropical cyclone off the coast
hindered rescue operations of the burning ocean liner, Morro Castle. A total of 134 people died, many from
drowning.
1936 On Sept. 18 a Category 2 hurricane passed about 50 miles off the southeastern New Jersey coast.
Hurricane-force gusts pounded Cape May. The Long Island, a fishing boat, sank on the Delaware Bay with the
loss of seven crew members.
1938 The Great New England Hurricane of Sept. 21 battered the Jersey shore with high winds and ravaging
surf. Torrential rain throughout the state caused widespread flooding. Gales uprooted countless trees.
1939 A remnant hurricane system dropped a state (official) 24-hour rainfall record 14.81 inches on Aug.
19-20 at the weather station in Tuckerton. Flooding caused a train wreck at Chatsworth, about 20 miles away.
1940 A hurricane tracked about 150 miles offshore stalling a line of thunderstorms over western New
Jersey. 22.4 inches of rain fell on Ewan in about nine hours on Sept. 1, setting an (unofficial) state 24-hour
rainfall record. (Ewan is just 20 miles south of Philadelphia.) Widespread dam failures.
1944 The Great Atlantic Hurricane, a Category 3 storm, tracked about 40 miles offshore on Sept. 14. Gusts
of 80 to 100 mph blasted coastal areas. A series of huge storm waves caused catastrophic oceanfront damage
within minutes at Atlantic City and in many other places.
1954 Hurricane Hazel on Oct. 15. Although the center of the storm passed well west of New Jersey, gusts of
hurricane force were widespread especially in western New Jersey. Millville reported a state-high gust of 86
mph. Generally, less than an inch of rain throughout the state.
1955 Hurricanes Connie and Diane, on Aug.12-13 and Aug. 18-19, respectively, dumped heavy rain on the
northern half of New Jersey. Record flooding occurred along the Delaware River.
1960 Hurricane Donna on Sept. 12 swept the Jersey shore with hurricane-force gusts and created
damaging surf. Gales elsewhere in the state, with several inches of rain. Donna's 80-mile-wide eye brushed
the shore, providing a brief interlude and glimpse of the sun before high winds returned.
1971 Tropical Storm Doria produced one of the state's memorable floods on Aug. 27-28. Princeton
collected 10.15 inches of rain. Severe flooding in the Raritan River valley and elsewhere in central and northern
New Jersey.
1979 The remnants of Hurricane David spawned tornadoes in Cape May, Gloucester and Salem counties
on Sept. 5-6. David dumped 3-6 inches of rain on the state.
1985 Hurricane Gloria provided a scare on Sept. 27. Winds gusted to near hurricane force in isolated shore
locations and heavy rain was widespread, but Gloria was considerably less destructive than expected.
1999 Hurricane Floyd on Sept. 16 dumped more than 8 inches of rain in 12 of New Jersey's 21 counties.
Devastating flooding occurred along the Raritan and other rivers in central and northern sections of the state.
2004 Hurricanes Ivan (Sept. 17) and Jeanne (Sept. 28) brought heavy rain and significant flooding,
especially to the Delaware River Valley. The Delaware River reached its highest level since August 1955.
Much additional information on New Jersey hurricanes is contained in the book,
Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States.
The eye of Hurricane Floyd left the Delmarva Peninsula on the afternoon of
September 16, 1999. It was downgraded to a tropical storm while off the
southeastern New Jersey coast. Nevertheless, torrential rains created one of the
state's worst flood disasters. (Photo by Rick Schwartz)
September 16, 1999. It was downgraded to a tropical storm while off the
southeastern New Jersey coast. Nevertheless, torrential rains created one of the
state's worst flood disasters. (Photo by Rick Schwartz)
New Jersey Weather Links
Office of the New Jersey state climatologist. http://climate.rutgers.edu/stateclim/
"Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955" This book offers an
in-depth examination of Hurricane Diane in 1955 and its ravages along the Delaware River.
www.55flood.com
Office of the New Jersey state climatologist. http://climate.rutgers.edu/stateclim/
"Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955" This book offers an
in-depth examination of Hurricane Diane in 1955 and its ravages along the Delaware River.
www.55flood.com
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| Summer 2008 |