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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 minimal hurricane stalled and dissipated off the coast. Tremendous damage
along the Jersey shore. One of the state's most destructive coastal storms. This event offers a cautionary
lesson on the power of persistence from stalled or slow-moving hurricanes (and nor'easters).
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 (Oct. 8-9) included 15.00 inches of rain in Paterson, 11.58 inches in Newark
and 10.00 inches in Perth Amboy.
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. Shore areas received a battering.
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 tropical cyclone 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 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, some creating a domino effect, added
to the magnitude of the disaster.
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, estimated to be 30 to 50 feet high,
caused catastrophic oceanfront damage within minutes along nearly the entire length of the coast as the center
of the storm advanced about 40 to 50 miles offshore.
1954 Hurricane Hazel on Oct. 15. Although the center of the storm passed well west of the state, gusts of
hurricane force were widespread, especially in western sections. Millville reported a state-high gust of 86 mph.
Generally, less than an inch of rain.
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 churned up
damaging surf. Gales throughout ithe 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. A tornado tracked intermittently about 25 miles from Cape May to Woodbine.
1976 Hurricane Belle raced ashore on Long Island during the late evening of August 9. The eye tracked
through eastern sections of the New York metropolitan area, coming within a few miles of the city. It had
sustained winds of 75 mph and a barometric pressure of 28.94 inches. Much of eastern New Jersey had gusts
of 50 to 65 mph and several inches of rain. Belle put on a spectacular multi-colored lightning display in the
northeastern section of the state.
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 and peak gusts of 40 to 60 mph.
1985 Hurricane Gloria provided a scare on Sept. 27. Winds gusted to near hurricane force in isolated shore
locations and heavy rain was commonplace, but Gloria proved 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.
Thousands of residents were rendered homeless.
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.
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 minimal hurricane stalled and dissipated off the coast. Tremendous damage
along the Jersey shore. One of the state's most destructive coastal storms. This event offers a cautionary
lesson on the power of persistence from stalled or slow-moving hurricanes (and nor'easters).
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 (Oct. 8-9) included 15.00 inches of rain in Paterson, 11.58 inches in Newark
and 10.00 inches in Perth Amboy.
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. Shore areas received a battering.
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 tropical cyclone 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 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, some creating a domino effect, added
to the magnitude of the disaster.
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, estimated to be 30 to 50 feet high,
caused catastrophic oceanfront damage within minutes along nearly the entire length of the coast as the center
of the storm advanced about 40 to 50 miles offshore.
1954 Hurricane Hazel on Oct. 15. Although the center of the storm passed well west of the state, gusts of
hurricane force were widespread, especially in western sections. Millville reported a state-high gust of 86 mph.
Generally, less than an inch of rain.
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 churned up
damaging surf. Gales throughout ithe 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. A tornado tracked intermittently about 25 miles from Cape May to Woodbine.
1976 Hurricane Belle raced ashore on Long Island during the late evening of August 9. The eye tracked
through eastern sections of the New York metropolitan area, coming within a few miles of the city. It had
sustained winds of 75 mph and a barometric pressure of 28.94 inches. Much of eastern New Jersey had gusts
of 50 to 65 mph and several inches of rain. Belle put on a spectacular multi-colored lightning display in the
northeastern section of the state.
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 and peak gusts of 40 to 60 mph.
1985 Hurricane Gloria provided a scare on Sept. 27. Winds gusted to near hurricane force in isolated shore
locations and heavy rain was commonplace, but Gloria proved 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.
Thousands of residents were rendered homeless.
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.
| New Jersey Weather Links Office of the New Jersey state climatologist: http://climate.rutgers.edu/stateclim/ Unisys offers maps of hurricane tracks beginning in 1851: http://weather.unisys.com Abundant information on Philadelphia metro weather can be found at www.Phillyweather.net |
| To learn more, order Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. Send a check or money order for $25.95, postpaid. (Internet special-- The regular price is $32.95.) Virginia residents add $1.00 sales tax. Make checks payable to Blue Diamond Books. Mail to: 6516 China Grove Ct., Alexandria, VA 22310 Or pay by credit card through the convenience of PayPal (see Home Page). |
The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 produced tsunami-like waves that devastated the Atlantic City
waterfront, including its famous Boardwalk. (National Archives photographic collection)
waterfront, including its famous Boardwalk. (National Archives photographic collection)