Gloucester County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34015 · population 302,128 · 322 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,217 records for Gloucester County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 877 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (313 records). 658 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. The deadliest single record is the March 16, 2007 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Gloucester, which covers the county: 4 deaths and 14 injuries. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1965, 25 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
- 1,217on 877 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 948 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $165Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 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 Gloucester County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 313 since 1957. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 313 | 177 | 1957-2026 | 1 | 10 | $26M | 8 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 209 | 208 | 1996-2026 | 6 | 26 | $6.2M | 10 of 20 |
| Floods | 143 | 107 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $30M | 11 of 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | 132 | 129 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 8 of 20 |
| Heat | 98 | 98 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 5 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 61 | 54 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 20 |
| Hail | 52 | 35 | 1987-2025 | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | 9 of 20 |
| Drought | 40 | 40 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | $71M | 6 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 39 | 37 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 31 | 30 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 1 | – | 7 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 26 | 23 | 2003-2020 | 0 | 0 | $656K | 4 of 20 |
| Lightning | 26 | 22 | 1998-2017 | 0 | 2 | $309K | 12 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 25 | 25 | 2007-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 11 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 9 | $8.8M | 6 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 2002-2014 | 0 | 0 | $63K | 6 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 Gloucester County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Gloucester County from 1960 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 9 injuries recorded in the county. That is 6th 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Gloucester County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-09-01 16:10, as SPC files it | Woodbury Heights | EF3 | 12.37 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Jersey.
Every tornado record filed for Gloucester County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-16 | Star Cross, Gloucester County | EF1 7.32 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2023-08-10 | Clarksboro, Gloucester County | EF1 0.66 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-09-01 | Harrisonville, Gloucester County | EF3 12.37 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $5.4M |
| 2019-06-13 | New Sharon, Gloucester County | EF1 1.25 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-13 | Jefferson, Gloucester County | EF0 0.32 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-06-02 | Paulsboro, Gloucester County | F0 0.8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $146K |
| 1998-09-02 | Clarksboro, Gloucester County | F0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-22 | Deptford, Gloucester County | F0 0.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-11-16 | Gloucester County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1989-03-18 | Gloucester County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-03-18 | Gloucester County | F1 6.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-03-18 | Gloucester County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-03-10 | Gloucester County | F1 5.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-07-14 | Gloucester County | F2 13.3 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 6 | – |
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 Gloucester County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 flash flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodTurnersville, Gloucester County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodPitman, Gloucester County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodPitman, Gloucester County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindMantua, Gloucester County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindHurffville, Gloucester County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBells Lake, Gloucester County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Excessive HeatGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamstown, Gloucester County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGlassboro, Gloucester County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindNew Sharon, Gloucester County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWoodbury Hgts, Gloucester County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-11 | Thunderstorm WindNewfield, Gloucester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-16 | Winter WeatherGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester A nor'easter caused sleet to fall across the greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area and the Raritan Basin and heavy snow and sleet to fall across northwestern New Jersey. The nor'easter caused thousands of accidents and six known fatalities. New Jersey State Police responded to over 2,000 calls for assistance. There ... | 4 | 14 | – | |
| 2011-01-11 | Heavy SnowGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester Heavy snow fell across most of New Jersey from the early evening of the 11th through the early morning on the 12th. Snowfall averaged 1 to 4 inches in the southeast part of the state where some rain, freezing rain and sleet occurred and 5 to 9 inches across the rest of the state. One traffic related fatality occurred ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2015-01-18 | Winter WeatherGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester Freezing rain at the onset of a protracted precipitation event helped cause hundreds of accidents across central and northern New Jersey on the morning into the mid afternoon of the 18th. New Jersey State Police alone responded to 428 accidents and 186 calls for assistance. A couple of accidents resulted in ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-14 | FloodMt Royal, Gloucester County The runoff from the heavy rain caused flooding in northern Gloucester County including the Mantua Creek basin. A 55-year-old woman drowned after she drove into the swollen creek. Her body was recovered on the 15th. In West Deptford, a 30 foot by 15 foot sink hole caused a basement masonry wall collapse on Ellwood ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-11-15 | Thunderstorm WindMt Royal, Gloucester County A 23-year-old man was presumed dead after the boat he was in capsized as a line of showers and thunderstorms moved through the county. He was one of four persons on board who were duck hunting on the Mantua Creek near the Interstate 295 bridge near Paulsboro when the boat overturned. The other three (a 12-year-old ... | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2001-08-06 | HeatGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester A ridge of high pressure both surface and aloft that was broiling the central part of the country moved east and covered New Jersey during the work week of August 6th. This brought a very oppressive hot spell to the region that peaked on the 9th. It brought the hottest August temperature ever recorded at the Atlantic ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-01-10 | Winter WeatherGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester A winter weather event dropped snow across northwest New Jersey and the Raritan Valley and a wintry mix that became predominately freezing rain across the rest of central Jersey as well as southwest New Jersey on the 10th. This caused hundreds and hundreds of accidents, a couple of which were fatal, during the morning ... | 0 | 10 | – | |
| 2006-07-04 | Thunderstorm WindPaulsboro, Gloucester County A severe thunderstorm knocked down trees and wires in Paulsboro and Glassboro Boroughs and Deptford Township. Nine people were injured in Paulsboro when a large tree fell down onto a vehicle and a tent on West Broad Street. A group of people were having a holiday barbecue when the severe thunderstorm struck. One woman ... | 52 kt wind | 0 | 9 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-01 | DroughtGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester | 0 | 0 | $71M | |
| 2015-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindClarksboro, Gloucester County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12M |
| 2015-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindPaulsboro, Gloucester County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6.2M |
| 2008-08-10 | HailMullica Hill, Gloucester County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5.5M |
| 2021-09-01 | TornadoHarrisonville, Gloucester County | EF3 12.37 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $5.4M |
| 1996-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindThorofare, Gloucester County | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2008-08-10 | HailSwedesboro, Gloucester County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2012-10-30 | Coastal FloodGloucester County · forecast zone Gloucester | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
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: November 16, 1989 (tornado, Gloucester County); March 10, 1964 (tornado, Gloucester 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 Gloucester 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 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 37 | 52 | 109 | 94 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 76 | 82 | 31 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 37 | 70 | 29 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 18 | 68 | 42 | 4 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 27 | 34 | 24 | 13 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 26 | 19 | 16 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 142 · Feb 139 · Mar 101 · Apr 66 · May 67 · Jun 172 · Jul 169 · Aug 114 · Sep 61 · Oct 34 · Nov 52 · Dec 100 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gloucester County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Gloucester County: 17 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and severe storm (5).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2011-09-15 | DR-4033 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-27 | EM-3332 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 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 |
| 2007-04-26 | 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 |
| 2003-03-20 | 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 Gloucester County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 143 flood or flash flood records for Gloucester County from 1996 to 2026, on 107 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gloucester County ranks 412th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.8 million on 709 claims filed in Gloucester County; the most in one year was 165 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 15 · 1979: 30 · 1980: 36 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 6 · 1984: 10 · 1985: 4 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 3 · 1988: 5 · 1989: 21 · 1991: 4 · 1992: 20 · 1993: 11 · 1994: 5 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 17 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 48 · 2000: 6 · 2001: 3 · 2003: 21 · 2004: 7 · 2005: 16 · 2006: 3 · 2007: 52 · 2008: 8 · 2009: 8 · 2010: 39 · 2011: 165 · 2012: 35 · 2013: 14 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 30 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 15 · 2026: 3; 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 Gloucester County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gloucester County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $77.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.2M | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $4.7M | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $983K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | $4.3M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.9M | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $40M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.0M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Gloucester 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 Gloucester CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gloucester County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis