Burlington County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34005 · population 461,561 · 799 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,286 records for Burlington County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,122 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (726 records). The deadliest single record is the October 29, 2012 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Northwestern Burlington, which covers the county: 2 deaths and $64.3 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 31 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
- 2,286on 1,122 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16305 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $312Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 31latest 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 Burlington County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 726 since 1956. 61% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 726 | 283 | 1956-2026 | 1 | 18 | $42M | 16 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 362 | 228 | 1996-2026 | 5 | 238 | $10.0M | 20 of 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | 265 | 166 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 3 | $67M | 19 of 20 |
| Floods | 198 | 151 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $176M | 17 of 20 |
| Heat | 153 | 105 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 14 | – | 16 of 20 |
| Hail | 150 | 81 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 12 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 86 | 58 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 76 | 64 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 19 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 55 | 31 | 1996-2022 | 1 | 0 | – | 17 of 20 |
| Drought | 49 | 40 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 20 |
| Lightning | 46 | 40 | 1997-2021 | 2 | 22 | $4.5M | 14 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 35 | 29 | 2003-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 10 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 32 | 32 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 2 | $1K | 4 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 28 | 26 | 2007-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 23 | 1952-2023 | 1 | 8 | $9.4M | 7 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 Burlington County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Burlington County from 1952 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 8 injuries recorded in the county. That is 7th 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Burlington County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-10-27 14:39, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F0 | 0.5 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Jersey.
Every tornado record filed for Burlington County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-10 | Whitesbog, Burlington County | EF1 0.31 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-06-16 | Buddtown, Burlington County | EF0 3.4 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Crosswicks, Burlington County | EF1 0.67 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Crosswicks, Burlington County | EF1 0.07 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Palmyra, Burlington County | EF1 6 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-09-01 | Beverly, Burlington County | EF1 1.84 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-29 | Chatsworth, Burlington County | EF1 0.21 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-17 | Jobstown Airport, Burlington County | EF1 7.75 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-07-11 | Evesboro, Burlington County | EF1 1.27 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-07-06 | Ramblewood, Burlington County | EF0 0.07 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-07-27 | Four Mile, Burlington County | F1 2.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $781K |
| 2003-10-27 | Hainesport, Burlington County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2003-09-23 | Florence, Burlington County | F1 1.8 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | $963K |
| 1995-05-29 | Chesterfield, Burlington County | F1 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-08-02 | Chesterfield, Burlington County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-08-19 | Burlington County | F0 1.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1990-10-18 | Burlington County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1987-07-12 | Burlington County | F1 1.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1987-07-02 | Burlington County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-06-21 | Burlington County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-06-03 | Burlington County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-03-10 | Burlington County | F1 24.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1958-06-13 | Burlington County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1956-07-13 | Burlington County | F1 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1952-08-10 | Burlington County | F1 2.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Burlington County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 5, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindColumbus, Burlington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindTimbuctoo, Burlington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindJacksonville, Burlington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailStevens, Burlington County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | HailStevens, Burlington County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Flash FloodSpringside, Burlington County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindNorth Friendship, Burlington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindBuddtown, Burlington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindMedford, Burlington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-12 | Excessive HeatBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-12 | Excessive HeatBurlington County · forecast zone Southeastern Burlington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindFieldsboro, Burlington County | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-29 | High WindBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington 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 ... | 61 kt wind | 2 | 0 | $64M |
| 2011-07-21 | Excessive HeatBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington One of the most oppressive heat waves since mid July 1995 enveloped New Jersey from July 21st through the 24th. The heat was responsible for two deaths and hundreds of heat related injuries. Many locations had high temperatures that reached into the 100s. The most oppressive day was July 22nd when the combination of ... | 1 | 10 | – | |
| 1999-08-14 | LightningAtsion, Burlington County A cluster of thunderstorms that moved through Southern New Jersey during the early morning hours of the 14th was a prolific lightning producer. A 42-year-old man was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was camping with his girlfriend and her four children when lightning struck and split a 65 foot pitch pine near ... | 1 | 6 | – | |
| 2010-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindAtsion, Burlington County A severe thunderstorm knocked down a few trees and tree limbs in Shamong Township. A 47-year-old woman died while camping at the Atsion Recreation Area within the township. A tree snapped and fell on top of a tent she as well as a 51-year-old man and 31-year-old woman were taking shelter within. The latter two ... | 50 kt wind | 1 | 2 | – |
| 2021-06-09 | LightningTimbuctoo, Burlington County A man in his 70s was struck and killed by lightning at Burlington Country Club. This was the first documented case of a fatal lightning strike in the United States in 2021. Time estimated from radar and dispatch calls. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-02-13 | Cold/Wind ChillBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington Northwest winds that persisted into the morning of the 13th combined with an arctic air mass to produce wind chill factors of around 10 degrees below zero and low temperatures in the positive single numbers throughout most of New Jersey and claimed the life of one homeless man in Burlington County. The lowest hourly ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-02-09 | Winter StormBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington For the second time within a week a major winter storm affected New Jersey. Blizzard conditions occurred at times across the extreme southern part of the state during the afternoon and early evening of the 10th. Snowfall averaged 7 to 15 inches across northwest New Jersey, 12 to 20 inches across central New Jersey and ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-01-19 | Winter WeatherBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington A couple of upper-level disturbances moved near the area on the 19th. One clipped the New Jersey coast with a period of mainly light snow, however a secondary one, which was tied to a main disturbance in the eastern Great Lakes, produced an area of moderate to locally heavy snow across mainly portions of northern New ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-07-12 | Flash FloodCentral Portion, Burlington County | 0 | 0 | $78M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington | 61 kt wind | 2 | 0 | $64M |
| 1996-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindSykesville, Burlington County | 0 | 0 | $23M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Burlington County | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2007-04-15 | FloodCrosswicks, Burlington County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2015-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindMedford, Burlington County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 5 | $10.0M |
| 2012-10-30 | Coastal FloodBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 1996-01-07 | BlizzardBurlington County · forecast zone Northwestern Burlington | 1 | 0 | $3.0M |
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: March 10, 1964 (tornado, Burlington County); June 13, 1958 (tornado, Burlington County); June 21, 1981 (tornado, Burlington 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 Burlington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 4 | 9 | 40 | 65 | 95 | 203 | 309 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 126 | 158 | 57 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 137 | 98 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 17 | 35 | 95 | 51 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 27 | 50 | 46 | 30 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 31 | 28 | 38 | 43 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
61% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 244 · Feb 238 · Mar 159 · Apr 122 · May 126 · Jun 346 · Jul 395 · Aug 240 · Sep 101 · Oct 70 · Nov 74 · Dec 171 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Burlington County
FEMA's register lists 31 declarations that include Burlington County: 19 major disasters, 11 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (9) 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2007-05-16 | FM-2695 | Fire | Warren Grove Fire |
| 2007-04-26 | DR-1694 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding |
| 2005-09-19 | EM-3257 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-07-16 | DR-1530 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1088 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm) |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3106 | Snowstorm | Severe Blizzard |
| 1980-10-19 | EM-3083 | Drought | Water Shortage |
| 1977-02-08 | DR-528 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Conditions |
| 1975-07-23 | DR-477 | Flood | Heavy Rains, High Winds, Hail & Tornadoes |
| 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 Burlington County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 198 flood or flash flood records for Burlington County from 1996 to 2026, on 151 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Burlington County ranks 175th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 3 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $29.4 million on 2,180 claims filed in Burlington County; the most in one year was 424 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 50 · 1979: 56 · 1980: 18 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 9 · 1983: 16 · 1984: 29 · 1985: 11 · 1986: 5 · 1987: 18 · 1988: 3 · 1989: 77 · 1990: 3 · 1991: 9 · 1992: 50 · 1993: 15 · 1994: 28 · 1996: 49 · 1997: 6 · 1998: 29 · 1999: 38 · 2000: 6 · 2001: 7 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 20 · 2004: 232 · 2005: 32 · 2006: 13 · 2007: 243 · 2008: 5 · 2009: 20 · 2010: 53 · 2011: 424 · 2012: 108 · 2013: 11 · 2014: 99 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 15 · 2018: 51 · 2019: 140 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 39 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 27 · 2024: 88 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 2; the other years: 0.
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 Burlington County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Burlington County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $176 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 | $9.4M | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.8M | 9.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very High | $2.5M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $122M | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $2.2M | 33 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.9M | 9.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | once in about 455 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $9.2M | once in about 582 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Burlington 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in New JerseyThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Burlington CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Burlington County's FEMA declarations (CSV)31 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis