Middlesex County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34023 · population 862,614 · 309 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,340 records for Middlesex County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 911 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (276 records). 726 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 210 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 5 deaths; its 5,251 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 92nd of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Ida (2021). The deadliest day on its record was July 4, 1999: heat records filed for Middlesex County that day count 7 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1965, 27 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
- 1,340on 911 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 29224 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.0Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 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 Middlesex County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 276 since 1955. 59% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 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 | 276 | 160 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 9 | $5.3M | 9 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 240 | 217 | 1996-2026 | 6 | 101 | $13M | 8 of 20 |
| Floods | 210 | 142 | 1996-2025 | 5 | 73 | $839M | 9 of 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | 167 | 141 | 1996-2020 | 8 | 20 | $169M | 6 of 20 |
| Heat | 100 | 98 | 1996-2025 | 8 | 4 | – | 3 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 72 | 54 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 20 |
| Hail | 62 | 45 | 1967-2023 | 0 | 0 | $16K | 7 of 20 |
| Drought | 53 | 43 | 1997-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 20 |
| Lightning | 45 | 38 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 8 | $1.1M | 5 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 34 | 32 | 1996-2022 | 2 | 0 | – | 4 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 32 | 32 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 18 | 18 | 2000-2014 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 1 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 14 | 12 | 2002-2020 | 0 | 0 | $656K | 9 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 9 | 9 | 2007-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1977-2003 | 0 | 9 | $141K | 10 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 Middlesex County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Middlesex County from 1977 to 2003, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 9 injuries recorded in the county. That is 10th 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Middlesex County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, 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 Middlesex County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-10-27 | Highland Park, Middlesex County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-09-08 | East Brunswick, Middlesex County | F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1992-07-31 | Middlesex County | F1 1.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-11-16 | Middlesex County | F0 0.5 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-08-29 | Middlesex County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1987-07-14 | Middlesex County | F0 0.2 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-10-05 | Middlesex County | F1 6 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 1977-09-26 | Middlesex County | 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 Middlesex County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 6, 2025 thunderstorm wind (4 injuries).
A large tree limb was blown down and fell on a tent at a community gathering. Three people had minor injuries from the limb falling on the tent. A fourth person was burned after being splashed by boiling water that was in a pot the tree limb knocked over. Time was estimated from radar.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1295593)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindHopelawn, Middlesex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindEdison, Middlesex County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindMiddlesex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-09 | Dense FogMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-05 | Dense FogMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindEdison, Middlesex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindCamp Kilmer, Middlesex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindJamesburg, Middlesex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindCranbury, Middlesex County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-07 | Dense FogMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-23 | BlizzardMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | Dense FogMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 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 WindMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex 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 | 6 | 0 | $166M |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex A very strong and oppressive high pressure system that extended from the surface to aloft gave New Jersey a brutal heat wave that included the entire Independence Day weekend. There were seventeen heat related deaths and around 100 reported heat related injuries. High temperatures reached the 90s for the first time on ... | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodMiddlesex County Widespread flash flooding occurred in Middlesex County with numerous road closures and over 500 water rescues. A total of three flood related fatalities were reported in the county, one in South Plainfield, one in Piscataway Township, and one in Woodbridge Township. There was significant damage to structures and ... | 3 | 0 | $54M | |
| 1999-07-04 | HeatMiddlesex County and Union County · forecast zone Union An extremely hot and humid airmass covered the region from July 4th through July 6th.On Sunday July 4th, temperatures soared into the mid and upper 90s. The combination of high temperatures and moderate humidity caused most heat indices to range from 100 to 105 degrees.On Monday July 5th, many new maximum temperature ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-02-09 | Winter WeatherMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex A protracted event of light snow, sleet and especially freezing rain caused traveling difficulties and accidents in northern and southwest New Jersey on the 8th and 9th. While precipitation occurred intermittently and amounts were overall light, untreated roadways were treacherous. Ice accumulations throughout the ... | 1 | 61 | – | |
| 2002-09-11 | High WindMiddlesex County and Union County · forecast zone Union A strong pressure gradient developed between Hurricane Gustav, which intensified as it moved offshore, and a high pressure system, which built southeast. High winds quickly developed behind a strong cold front that trailed from a low pressure system over Northeast New England around 10:00 am EDT.Wind speeds were ... | 1 | 12 | – | |
| 2003-02-16 | Heavy SnowMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex The most powerful storm to affect New Jersey since the Blizzard of 1996 struck during the President's Day Weekend. One person in Middlesex County was directly killed after a canopy full of snow collapsed on him. Snow slowly spread from south to north from around sunrise on Sunday the 16th in Cumberland and Cape May ... | 1 | 8 | $1.6M | |
| 2022-01-05 | Winter WeatherMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex Light freezing rain fell. A COOP observer near Milltown reported 0.02 inches of ice accretion. Numerous motor vehicle accidents occurred, reportedly several dozen in Middlesex County alone, including a fatal accident on Route 34 in Old Bridge. | 1 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-29 | Coastal FloodMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 0 | 0 | $643M | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 61 kt wind | 6 | 0 | $166M |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodCaretet, Middlesex County | 1 | 0 | $66M | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodMiddlesex County | 3 | 0 | $54M | |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Middlesex County | 0 | 72 | $50M | |
| 2005-07-17 | Flash FloodSoutheast Portion, Middlesex County | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 1996-01-07 | BlizzardMiddlesex County · forecast zone Middlesex | 0 | 0 | $8.3M | |
| 1996-10-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Middlesex County | 0 | 1 | $5.1M |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: September 26, 1977 (tornado, Middlesex 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 Middlesex 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 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 40 | 43 | 73 | 103 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 25 | 100 | 87 | 28 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 42 | 87 | 63 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 31 | 85 | 49 | 2 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 27 | 37 | 19 | 17 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 25 | 22 | 23 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
59% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 154 · Feb 148 · Mar 105 · Apr 66 · May 68 · Jun 104 · Jul 276 · Aug 128 · Sep 72 · Oct 62 · Nov 45 · Dec 112 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Middlesex County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Middlesex County: 19 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 |
| 2020-03-25 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-18 | DR-1295 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-17 | EM-3148 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1996-11-19 | DR-1145 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1973-08-07 | DR-402 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Middlesex County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 210 flood or flash flood records for Middlesex County from 1996 to 2025, on 142 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Middlesex County ranks 92nd of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 1 | 3 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $165 million on 5,251 claims filed in Middlesex County; the most in one year was 1,114 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 48 · 1979: 100 · 1980: 49 · 1981: 10 · 1982: 17 · 1983: 31 · 1984: 38 · 1985: 7 · 1986: 6 · 1987: 10 · 1988: 18 · 1989: 43 · 1990: 5 · 1991: 17 · 1992: 162 · 1993: 6 · 1994: 49 · 1995: 12 · 1996: 319 · 1997: 21 · 1998: 8 · 1999: 356 · 2000: 9 · 2001: 13 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 22 · 2004: 32 · 2005: 83 · 2006: 19 · 2007: 294 · 2008: 13 · 2009: 9 · 2010: 471 · 2011: 1,114 · 2012: 747 · 2013: 6 · 2014: 54 · 2015: 7 · 2016: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2018: 38 · 2019: 18 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 712 · 2022: 7 · 2023: 38 · 2024: 16 · 2025: 163 · 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 Middlesex County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Middlesex County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $282 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 | $14M | 6.9 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $2.2M | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very High | $3.7M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $197M | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $10M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $10.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | $3.0M | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $7.7M | 7.5 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 Middlesex 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 Middlesex CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Middlesex County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis