Atlantic County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34001 · population 274,261 · 556 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,740 records for Atlantic County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 944 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (386 records). 1,314 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. NOAA records 207 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 2 deaths; its 20,909 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 19th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Sandy (2012). The deadliest day on its record was October 29, 2012: coastal flood and high wind records filed for Atlantic County that day count 3 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 36 declarations naming the county since 1965, 33 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Remnants of Hurricane Ida” on September 5, 2021.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 1,740on 944 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1782 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.1Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 36latest 2021
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Atlantic County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 386 since 1996. The rank column places the county among New Jersey's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 386 | 208 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 3 | $528M | 11 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 308 | 177 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 8 | $8.3M | 18 of 20 |
| Floods | 207 | 145 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $486M | 14 of 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 189 | 134 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 5 | $18M | 20 of 20 |
| Heat | 129 | 87 | 1996-2015 | 0 | 36 | – | 14 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 95 | 66 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 13 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 81 | 45 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 20 |
| Drought | 76 | 38 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 66 | 57 | 1996-2020 | 9 | 3 | $63M | 5 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 56 | 31 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 20 |
| Hail | 56 | 38 | 1962-2021 | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | 17 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 46 | 33 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 6 of 20 |
| Lightning | 26 | 24 | 2001-2017 | 2 | 16 | $1.8M | 16 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 10 | 9 | 1997-2009 | 0 | 8 | – | 12 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 9 | 1970-2025 | 0 | 3 | $3.6M | 15 of 20 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Atlantic County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Atlantic County from 1970 to 2025, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 10 tornadoes whose track touched Atlantic County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Jersey.
Every tornado record filed for Atlantic County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-16 | Cedar Lake, Atlantic County | EF1 0.77 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2023-04-01 | Mizpah, Atlantic County | EF1 0.9 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-07-05 | Somers Pt, Atlantic County | F1 3.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 1993-09-08 | Brigantine, Atlantic County | F0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1993-08-21 | Hammonton, Atlantic County | F2 1.5 mi x 330 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1990-10-18 | Atlantic County | F0 1 mi x 1,100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1987-08-05 | Atlantic County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1987-07-21 | Atlantic County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 3 | $3K step |
| 1970-11-04 | Atlantic County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Atlantic County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 31, 2025 flash flood ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHammonton, Atlantic County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindLandisville, Atlantic County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-09 | Dense FogAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-09 | Dense FogAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | Dense FogAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | Dense FogAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Winter WeatherAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-03-20 | Winter WeatherAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic A winter storm on the first day of astronomical spring dropped snow across most of New Jersey on the 20th. Before precipitation ended, it transitioned to rain in the southern half of New Jersey. Snowfall averaged 3 to 7 inches from Gloucester and inland Atlantic Counties northward and two inches or less elsewhere in ... | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2017-06-15 | Rip CurrentAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic Two teenagers died due to rip currents. They were deemed missing and presumed dead by local law enforcement. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic Post Tropical Storm Sandy was the costliest natural disaster by far in the state of New Jersey. Record breaking high tides and wave action combined with sustained winds as high as 60 to 70 mph with wind gusts as high as around 90 mph to batter the state. Statewide, Sandy caused an estimated 29.4 billion dollars in ... | 2 | 0 | $193M | |
| 2011-09-15 | LightningAtlantic City, Atlantic County A 40-year-old male construction worker was killed and two others were injured after they were struck by lightning while working on the Revel Casino Project in Atlantic City off of Connecticut Avenue. They were pouring concrete on the 7th floor when the bucket lift they were using was struck by lightning. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2011-07-03 | LightningHammonton, Atlantic County A 54-year-old male was struck and killed by lightning while ducking under a tree during a thunderstorm to light a cigar in Hammonton. In 1963, the man's father was also struck and killed by lightning. A 38 year-old male cousin was seriously injured by the same lightning strike. The man felt a blast and remembered ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-07-10 | Rip CurrentAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic Strong ocean currents and waves in the wake of Storm Fay produced strong rip currents. A media report mentions a teenager was pulled under in the strong currents and was not found and presumed drowned. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-08-01 | High SurfAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic A 31 year old male entered the water in Atlantic City Beach around 8:15 PM EDT on August 1st and drowned due to high surf. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-08-04 | Rip CurrentAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic A 59-year-old woman from New Hampshire died on August 9th from her injuries suffered at an unguarded Atlantic City (Atlantic County) beach after she was caught in a rip current on the evening of August 4th. Atlantic City firefighters along with the Beach Patrol's Kentucky Avenue late shift were called to the South ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-29 | High WindAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 79 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $386M |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 2 | 0 | $193M | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodAtlantic County · forecast zone Western Atlantic | 0 | 0 | $129M | |
| 1997-08-20 | Flash FloodEstell Manor, Atlantic County | 0 | 0 | $99M | |
| 2012-10-28 | High SurfAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 0 | 0 | $51M | |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodWheat Rd, Atlantic County | 0 | 0 | $39M | |
| 2012-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindBuena, Atlantic County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $17M |
| 2009-11-13 | Coastal FloodAtlantic County · forecast zone Eastern Atlantic | 0 | 0 | $14M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: November 4, 1970 (tornado, Atlantic County); October 18, 1990 (tornado, Atlantic County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Atlantic County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 44 | 185 | 134 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 24 | 116 | 127 | 41 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 28 | 53 | 75 | 51 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 2 | 7 | 28 | 35 | 30 | 41 | 43 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 46 | 53 | 30 | 0 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 40 | 32 | 23 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Atlantic County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 245 · Feb 263 · Mar 158 · Apr 89 · May 68 · Jun 140 · Jul 168 · Aug 121 · Sep 101 · Oct 110 · Nov 93 · Dec 184 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Atlantic County
FEMA's register lists 36 declarations that include Atlantic County: 25 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-05 | DR-4614 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021-09-02 | EM-3573 | Hurricane | Remnants of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020-12-11 | DR-4574 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4488 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3451 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-03-14 | DR-4264 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2015-07-22 | DR-4231 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2012-10-30 | DR-4086 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3354 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-07-19 | DR-4070 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-02-04 | DR-1954 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2010-04-02 | DR-1897 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-03-23 | DR-1889 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2010-02-05 | DR-1873 | Snowstorm | Snowstorm |
| 2009-12-22 | DR-1867 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and A Nor'eas |
| 2007-04-26 | DR-1694 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3257 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-03-20 | EM-3181 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2001-09-19 | EM-3169 | Fire | Fires and Explosions |
| 2000-11-01 | EM-3156 | Other | West Nile Virus |
| 1999-09-17 | EM-3148 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1998-03-03 | DR-1206 | Coastal Storm | Severe Winter Coastal Storm, High Winds, Flooding |
| 1997-09-23 | DR-1189 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1088 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3106 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1992-12-18 | DR-973 | Flood | Coastal Storm, High Tides, Heavy Rain, & Flooding |
| 1992-03-03 | DR-936 | Severe Storm | Severe Coastal Storm |
| 1985-10-15 | DR-749 | Hurricane | Hurricane Gloria |
| 1984-04-12 | DR-701 | Flood | Coastal Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-10-19 | EM-3083 | Drought | Water Shortage |
| 1977-02-08 | DR-528 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Conditions |
| 1976-08-21 | DR-519 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1971-09-04 | DR-310 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1965-08-18 | DR-205 | Drought | Water Shortage |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Atlantic County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 207 flood or flash flood records for Atlantic County from 1996 to 2025, on 145 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Atlantic County ranks 19th of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-28 | 3 | 2 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 3 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-11 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $494 million on 20,909 claims filed in Atlantic County; the most in one year was 11,429 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 63 · 1979: 157 · 1980: 206 · 1981: 24 · 1982: 18 · 1983: 31 · 1984: 1,073 · 1985: 935 · 1986: 19 · 1987: 157 · 1988: 7 · 1989: 86 · 1990: 16 · 1991: 219 · 1992: 3,762 · 1993: 100 · 1994: 392 · 1995: 38 · 1996: 109 · 1997: 171 · 1998: 399 · 1999: 39 · 2000: 62 · 2001: 32 · 2002: 53 · 2003: 42 · 2004: 16 · 2005: 39 · 2006: 24 · 2007: 24 · 2008: 41 · 2009: 200 · 2010: 119 · 2011: 182 · 2012: 11,429 · 2013: 33 · 2014: 24 · 2015: 37 · 2016: 164 · 2017: 29 · 2018: 120 · 2019: 29 · 2020: 30 · 2021: 25 · 2022: 36 · 2023: 18 · 2024: 22 · 2025: 53 · 2026: 5.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Atlantic County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Atlantic County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $123 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Very High | $15M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $947K | 8.6 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | $14M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $26M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.3M | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.8M | once in about 457 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $50M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | 4.5 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Atlantic County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in New JerseyEvery New Jersey tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- High wind and dust storms in New JerseyThe state's high wind and dust records, by county, year and month
- The New Jersey recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Atlantic CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Atlantic County's FEMA declarations (CSV)36 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis