Bergen County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34003 · population 955,459 · 233 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,193 records for Bergen County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 559 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (391 records). NOAA records 391 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 5 deaths; its 14,477 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 34th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Floyd (1999). The deadliest single record is the July 22, 2006 lightning: 2 deaths and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 32 declarations naming the county since 1965, 28 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
- 1,193on 559 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1541 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $138Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 32latest 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 Bergen County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 391 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 391 | 183 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 1 | $113M | 3 of 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 363 | 172 | 1969-2026 | 3 | 14 | $1.8M | 5 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 147 | 98 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 3 | – | 16 of 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | 86 | 63 | 1996-2024 | 2 | 13 | $4.8M | 16 of 20 |
| Hail | 82 | 46 | 1986-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 20 |
| Lightning | 52 | 40 | 1996-2023 | 3 | 8 | $633K | 1 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 23 | 23 | 1996-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 20 |
| Heat | 14 | 12 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 20 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 8 | 1956-2013 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 5 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 6 | 6 | 2004-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 2000-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 3 | 2008-2020 | 0 | 2 | – | 15 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 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 Bergen County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Bergen County from 1956 to 2013, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 5th of 20 New Jersey counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched Bergen County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Jersey.
Every tornado record filed for Bergen County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-10-07 | Passaic Jct, Bergen County | EF1 1.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 1989-11-16 | Bergen County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-07-10 | Bergen County | F0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-07-10 | Bergen County | F0 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1975-07-13 | Bergen County | F1 1.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1971-07-19 | Bergen County | F1 2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1970-07-15 | Bergen County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-08-07 | Bergen County | F2 2.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1956-09-06 | Bergen County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Bergen County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 12, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Arlington, Bergen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindMaywood, Bergen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindMaywood, Bergen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindWaldwick, Bergen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindRamsey, Bergen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindWaldwick, Bergen County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindCloster, Bergen County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRochelle Park, Bergen County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindRiver Edge, Bergen County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindTeterboro, Bergen County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardBergen County · forecast zone Eastern Bergen | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowBergen County · forecast zone Western Bergen | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-07-22 | LightningMontvale, Bergen County Two teenagers were killed and two were injured when they were struck by lightning at Memorial Field in Montvale.The teens were playing soccer and were struck by lightning as they ran off the field during a heavy down pour. They suffered severe burns and trauma. | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bergen County Torrential record rainfall, which caused serious widespread urban, small stream, and river flooding, preceded the remnants of Hurricane Floyd, which passed over Western Suffolk County of Long Island from 7 pm to 9 pm on September 16th.Deaths: Flooding caused 3 deaths: 2 in Bergen County and 1 in Passaic County. In ... | 2 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2008-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindDumont, Bergen County A tree fell on a person on Depew Street. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $685 |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodMahwah, Bergen County One person died at a hospital in Bergen County after pushing their car through flood waters and suffering a medical event. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-01-23 | Winter StormBergen County · forecast zone Eastern Bergen The public and trained spotters reported snowfall ranging from 15 to 24 inches. Teterboro Airport ASOS reported near blizzard conditions through the day and early evening of Saturday January 23rd. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-01-23 | Winter StormBergen County · forecast zone Western Bergen The public and trained spotters reported snowfall ranging from 15 to 25 inches. Teterboro Airport ASOS reported near blizzard conditions through the day and early evening of Saturday January 23rd. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodBergen County · forecast zone Eastern Bergen Communities along the Hackensack River experienced two successive tidal cycles with at least moderate coastal flooding. The peak of this surge occurred Monday Night as Sandy made landfall in Southern New Jersey, with widespread moderate to areas of major coastal flooding along the Hackensack River. Peak storm tides ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-09-07 | LightningDemarest, Bergen County A 71 year old man was injured by lightning at Northern Valley Regional High School. He was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center and passed away around 4 hours later. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-03-13 | FloodUpper Saddle River, Bergen County | 0 | 0 | $62M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Bergen County | 2 | 0 | $31M | |
| 2007-04-15 | FloodLodi, Bergen County | 0 | 0 | $9.8M | |
| 1996-01-19 | FloodBergen County · forecast zone Bergen | 0 | 0 | $5.6M | |
| 2005-04-02 | FloodBergen County · forecast zone Bergen | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | |
| 2017-02-13 | High WindBergen County · forecast zone Eastern Bergen | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $602K |
| 2017-10-24 | Strong WindBergen County · forecast zone Western Bergen | 37 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $602K |
| 2008-08-06 | Thunderstorm WindHarrington Park, Bergen County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $459K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 10, 1989 (tornado, Bergen County); July 10, 1989 (tornado, Bergen 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 Bergen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 30 | 106 | 156 | 99 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 54 | 89 | 129 | 79 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 27 | 71 | 41 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 25 | 40 | 11 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 24 | 27 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 9 | 17 | 22 | 4 |
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 Bergen County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 70 · Feb 69 · Mar 69 · Apr 68 · May 92 · Jun 141 · Jul 262 · Aug 152 · Sep 98 · Oct 66 · Nov 37 · Dec 69 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bergen County
FEMA's register lists 32 declarations that include Bergen County: 20 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (6).
| 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 |
| 2018-06-08 | DR-4368 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2016-03-14 | DR-4264 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2012-10-30 | DR-4086 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012-10-28 | EM-3354 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011-11-30 | DR-4048 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 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 |
| 2007-04-26 | DR-1694 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3257 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-04-19 | DR-1588 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2003-09-23 | EM-3188 | Other | Power Outage |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1295 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-17 | EM-3148 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 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 |
| 1984-04-12 | DR-701 | Flood | Coastal Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-10-19 | EM-3083 | Drought | Water Shortage |
| 1975-07-23 | DR-477 | Flood | Heavy Rains, High Winds, Hail & Tornadoes |
| 1971-09-04 | DR-310 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1968-06-18 | DR-245 | 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 Bergen County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 391 flood or flash flood records for Bergen County from 1996 to 2025, on 183 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bergen County ranks 34th of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 2 |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Storm Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $432 million on 14,477 claims filed in Bergen County; the most in one year was 3,686 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 68 · 1979: 345 · 1980: 154 · 1981: 60 · 1982: 48 · 1983: 188 · 1984: 491 · 1985: 31 · 1986: 16 · 1987: 63 · 1988: 3 · 1989: 103 · 1990: 46 · 1991: 34 · 1992: 228 · 1993: 15 · 1994: 23 · 1995: 24 · 1996: 117 · 1997: 39 · 1998: 14 · 1999: 1,830 · 2000: 16 · 2001: 21 · 2002: 14 · 2003: 40 · 2004: 90 · 2005: 219 · 2006: 45 · 2007: 1,548 · 2008: 26 · 2009: 29 · 2010: 271 · 2011: 3,686 · 2012: 2,090 · 2013: 30 · 2014: 33 · 2015: 16 · 2016: 8 · 2017: 25 · 2018: 78 · 2019: 18 · 2020: 21 · 2021: 1,803 · 2022: 87 · 2023: 146 · 2024: 140 · 2025: 23 · 2026: 14.
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 Bergen County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bergen County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $322 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | $34M | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.6M | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very High | $5.9M | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $217M | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $9.4M | 9.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $2.3M | 32 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $9.0M | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $8.5M | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Bergen 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
- Floods in New JerseyThe state's floods and flash floods, 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 Bergen CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bergen County's FEMA declarations (CSV)32 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis