Cape May County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34009 · population 95,244 · 252 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,696 records for Cape May County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 854 days; the most frequent are high wind and dust records (400 records). 1,354 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 233 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 0 deaths; its 28,016 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 13th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Sandy (2012). The deadliest single record is the December 31, 2009 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Western Cape May, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 34 declarations naming the county since 1965, 31 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
- 1,696on 854 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1868 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $866Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 34latest 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 Cape May County most?
The most frequent records are high wind and dust records: 400 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 | 400 | 209 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $277M | 1 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 271 | 144 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 4 | $73M | 14 of 20 |
| Floods | 233 | 135 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $443M | 7 of 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 140 | 97 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 14 of 20 |
| Heat | 118 | 74 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 10 | – | 6 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 106 | 63 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $266K | 1 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 91 | 74 | 1996-2022 | 12 | 43 | $55M | 1 of 20 |
| Drought | 76 | 38 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 70 | 37 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 1 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 69 | 35 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 56 | 30 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 20 |
| Hail | 31 | 21 | 1977-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 20 |
| Lightning | 20 | 19 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 10 | $185K | 10 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1952-2021 | 0 | 1 | $4.1M | 4 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 3 | 2002-2013 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 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 Cape May County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Cape May County from 1952 to 2021, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 4th 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Cape May County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, 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 Cape May County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-09 | Woodbine Jct, Cape May County | EF1 0.94 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-04 | Strathmere, Cape May County | EF1 4.24 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-03 | Goshen, Cape May County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-16 | Stone Harbor, Cape May County | F1 0.2 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-27 | Cape May County | F0 0.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1986-09-23 | Cape May County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-09-27 | Cape May County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1979-09-06 | Cape May County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1971-08-27 | Cape May County | F2 28.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1956-05-06 | Cape May County | F2 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1952-08-10 | Cape May County | F1 12.5 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 Cape May County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 8, 2022 rip current (1 death and 1 injury).
Philadelphia media reported a fatality in Ocean City, NJ, likely caused by rip currents. Shortly after noon on Thursday, a man was pulled from the water unresponsive. The man was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His son was injured trying to save him.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1049266)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGoshen, Cape May County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindCold Spg, Cape May County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | Dense FogCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | Dense FogCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-12-31 | Winter WeatherCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May A weak low pressure system dropped light snow across northern and southwestern New Jersey and a wintry mix across southeast New Jersey during the morning of 31st. Snowfall averaged 1 to 3 inches with ice accretions less than one tenth of an inch. Precipitation began as a wintry mix across southeast New Jersey and as ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-07-12 | Rip CurrentCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May Enhanced rip currents caused by swells from Hurricane Bertha resulted in three deaths along the New Jersey coast on the weekend of July 12th and 13th. The rip currents and strong surf caused many water rescues and led to bathing restrictions. The highest surf was reported on Sunday the 13th as waves averaged 5 to 6 ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-07-18 | HeatCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May A hot and very humid air mass enveloped southern New Jersey on the 18th and 19th. High temperatures reached into the lower 90s, but dewpoint temperatures were in the mid 70s. The combination produced afternoon heat indices of between 100 and 105. In addition, the high dewpoints prevented temperatures from falling ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-05-31 | Rip CurrentCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May Time of event estimated from media reports. 19 Year old man died after he and 3 others encountered a rip current. Two others were rescued and one made it to the shore on his own. | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2016-08-09 | Rip CurrentCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May Two people were injured while caught in a rip current. One person died after returning to shore. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2015-02-21 | Winter WeatherCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May A winter storm produced a protracted mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain across most of New Jersey during the afternoon into the overnight of the 21st and lasted through the entire overnight in far northwest New Jersey where precipitation fell mainly as snow. Snowfall averaged 3 to 6 inches, with slightly lower ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2022-09-08 | Rip CurrentCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May Philadelphia media reported a fatality in Ocean City, NJ, likely caused by rip currents. Shortly after noon on Thursday, a man was pulled from the water unresponsive. The man was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His son was injured trying to save him. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2022-06-07 | Rip CurrentCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May A 53 year old drowned while swimming at the beach at Wildwood Crest. This is suspected to be rip current related as the Police Chief described the surf as extremely rough. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-29 | High WindCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 61 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $193M |
| 2009-11-13 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | $166M | |
| 2012-10-28 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | $161M | |
| 2010-02-06 | BlizzardCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May | 0 | 0 | $68M | |
| 2012-10-28 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Western Cape May | 0 | 0 | $64M | |
| 1998-01-28 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | $26M | |
| 2015-10-02 | High WindCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12M |
| 1996-01-07 | Coastal FloodCape May County · forecast zone Eastern Cape May | 0 | 0 | $7.3M |
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: September 6, 1979 (tornado, Cape May County); August 27, 1971 (tornado, Cape May County); September 23, 1986 (tornado, Cape May 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 Cape May 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 | – | – | – | – | 42 | 190 | 150 | 18 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 103 | 116 | 32 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 30 | 85 | 71 | 47 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 22 | 31 | 33 | 29 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 41 | 49 | 27 | 1 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 34 | 31 | 41 | 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 Cape May County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 244 · Feb 249 · Mar 153 · Apr 84 · May 62 · Jun 98 · Jul 165 · Aug 108 · Sep 123 · Oct 119 · Nov 105 · Dec 186 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cape May County
FEMA's register lists 34 declarations that include Cape May County: 22 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and snowstorm (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 |
| 2021-04-28 | DR-4597 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2010-03-23 | DR-1889 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2009-12-22 | DR-1867 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and A Nor'eas |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1974-12-24 | EM-3005 | Coastal Storm | Severe Storms, High Winds & High Tides |
| 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 Cape May County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 233 flood or flash flood records for Cape May County from 1996 to 2026, on 135 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cape May County ranks 13th 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 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 3 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-13 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $415 million on 28,016 claims filed in Cape May County; the most in one year was 10,138 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 32 · 1979: 154 · 1980: 834 · 1981: 47 · 1982: 13 · 1983: 34 · 1984: 2,087 · 1985: 1,785 · 1986: 45 · 1987: 204 · 1988: 6 · 1989: 66 · 1990: 10 · 1991: 538 · 1992: 4,913 · 1993: 121 · 1994: 1,332 · 1995: 42 · 1996: 366 · 1997: 68 · 1998: 1,971 · 1999: 31 · 2000: 88 · 2001: 12 · 2002: 30 · 2003: 134 · 2004: 28 · 2005: 22 · 2006: 44 · 2007: 8 · 2008: 192 · 2009: 624 · 2010: 113 · 2011: 225 · 2012: 10,138 · 2013: 38 · 2014: 21 · 2015: 43 · 2016: 1,326 · 2017: 32 · 2018: 66 · 2019: 17 · 2020: 24 · 2021: 26 · 2022: 14 · 2023: 9 · 2024: 15 · 2025: 25 · 2026: 3.
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 Cape May County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cape May County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $99.7 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 | $31M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very High | $6.7M | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $384K | 7 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $14M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.0M | 3.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $39M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $520K | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $844K | once in about 505 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Cape May 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 Cape May CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cape May County's FEMA declarations (CSV)34 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis