Monmouth County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34025 · population 643,237 · 468 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,190 records for Monmouth County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,074 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (397 records). 1,448 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 320 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 1 death; its 20,039 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 20th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Sandy (2012). The deadliest single record is the July 4, 1999 heat, filed for the forecast zone Western Monmouth, which covers the county: 4 deaths. 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
- 2,190on 1,074 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 43599 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $8.8Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest EF2
- 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 Monmouth County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 397 since 1968. 56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 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 | 397 | 199 | 1968-2026 | 2 | 76 | $21M | 12 of 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | 363 | 193 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 8 | $2.3B | 7 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 350 | 198 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 21 | $7.9M | 15 of 20 |
| Floods | 320 | 200 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 2 | $6.5B | 10 of 20 |
| Heat | 157 | 105 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 438 | – | 8 of 20 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 96 | 82 | 1996-2025 | 26 | 27 | $51K | 2 of 20 |
| Drought | 87 | 44 | 1997-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 20 |
| Hail | 78 | 50 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 72 | 37 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 70 | 54 | 1996-2022 | 1 | 6 | – | 14 of 20 |
| Lightning | 64 | 52 | 1997-2016 | 7 | 14 | $3.5M | 6 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 57 | 30 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 7 | $125K | 13 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 52 | 36 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $9.6M | 3 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 13 | 1952-2023 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 8 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 10 | 9 | 2000-2013 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 9 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 Monmouth County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Monmouth County from 1952 to 2023, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 8th 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 Monmouth County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17: 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.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Jersey.
Every tornado record filed for Monmouth County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-01 | Hyson, Monmouth County | EF2 0.19 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Allentown, Monmouth County | EF1 0.08 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Manasquan, Monmouth County | EF2 0.14 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-01 | Allentown, Monmouth County | EF1 4 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-05-20 | Matawan, Monmouth County | EF0 0.84 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-19 | Phalanx, Monmouth County | EF0 1.2 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-24 | Lower Squankum, Monmouth County | EF0 0.3 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-24 | Ft Plains, Monmouth County | EF0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-09 | Perrineville, Monmouth County | EF0 1.71 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2001-05-27 | Gordons Corner, Monmouth County | F2 1.5 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 1997-08-13 | Highlands, Monmouth County | F0 1.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $92K |
| 1994-11-01 | Loch Arbour, Monmouth County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $149K |
| 1964-03-26 | Monmouth County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-03-10 | Monmouth County | F1 4.1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-04-18 | Monmouth County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1955-10-16 | Monmouth County | F2 3.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1952-08-10 | Monmouth County | F1 24.5 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 Monmouth County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 6, 2025 flash flood ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindPerrineville, Monmouth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Excessive HeatMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-11 | Excessive HeatMonmouth County · forecast zone Western Monmouth | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindHowell, Monmouth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindEast Freehold, Monmouth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindEast Keansburg, Monmouth County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindKeansburg, Monmouth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindKeyport, Monmouth County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindAtlantic Highlands, Monmouth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindMonmouth Beach, Monmouth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWest Long Branch, Monmouth County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindOcean Grove, Monmouth County | 55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-04 | HeatMonmouth County · forecast zone Western Monmouth 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 | – | |
| 2017-06-15 | Rip CurrentMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth Two girls died due to rip currents on the 15th. One girl died that night at a local hospital. The other girl was on live support for a few days before passing away. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-09-07 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Monmouth County A squall line of severe thunderstorms capsized boats and downed trees and power lines throughout Monmouth County. A 56-year-old man drowned in Sandy Hook Bay after his fishing boat rolled over. About 30 persons were injured, mainly from hypothermia after their sailing vessels capsized mainly in Sandy Hook Bay. The ... | 1 | 30 | – | |
| 2007-06-04 | Heavy RainManasquan, Monmouth County Storm totlas included 1.80 inches in Sandy Hook, 1.63 inches in Marlboro and 1.57 inches in Sea Girt. | 1 | 6 | – | |
| 2023-09-03 | Rip CurrentMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth Broadcast media reports multiple swimmers were caught in a rip current during the evening of September 3rd and had to be rescued. One swimmer was pronounced dead with a few others being transported to the hospital. | 1 | 5 | – | |
| 2012-05-29 | Rip CurrentMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth A 24-year-old man drowned after believed to have been caught in a rip current in Bradley Beach (Monmouth County) and was pronounced dead at 7 p.m. EDT on the 29th. He drowned while swimming south of a jetty in the waters off of Brinley Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach. Around the same time, four teenagers were also ... | 1 | 4 | – | |
| 2008-09-07 | Rip CurrentMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth Strong rip currents on September 7th claimed the life of a 38-year-old man and led to multiple rescues along Monmouth County beaches that day. A 38-year-old male was caught in a rip current off the Newark Avenue Beach in Spring Lake during the afternoon. He was pulled from the surf at the Washington Avenue Beach and ... | 1 | 3 | – | |
| 2023-09-14 | High SurfMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth Broadcast media reports a capsized boat around Manasquan Inlet. The boat was hit with a 10 foot wave as it was approaching Manasquan Inlet. | 1 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-10-28 | Coastal FloodMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth | 1 | 0 | $6.4B | |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindMonmouth County · forecast zone Eastern Monmouth | 76 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.9B |
| 2012-10-29 | High WindMonmouth County · forecast zone Western Monmouth | 57 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $321M |
| 2002-08-02 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Monmouth County | 72 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $17M |
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Monmouth County | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2005-10-14 | Flash FloodEast Portion, Monmouth County | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormMonmouth County · forecast zone Western Monmouth | 0 | 0 | $6.6M | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodKeyport, Monmouth County | 0 | 0 | $5.4M |
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, Monmouth 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 Monmouth 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 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 33 | 59 | 108 | 179 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 52 | 175 | 126 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 28 | 127 | 147 | 48 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 42 | 99 | 105 | 74 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 46 | 55 | 32 | 24 |
| Rip currents and high surf | – | – | – | – | 4 | 50 | 37 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
56% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1968 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 256 · Feb 277 · Mar 185 · Apr 108 · May 103 · Jun 184 · Jul 330 · Aug 180 · Sep 121 · Oct 125 · Nov 110 · Dec 211 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Monmouth County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Monmouth County: 17 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and snowstorm (4).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2011-08-31 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Monmouth County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 320 flood or flash flood records for Monmouth County from 1996 to 2026, on 200 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Monmouth County ranks 20th 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 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 3 | 0 |
| Tropical Depression Ida | 2009-11-13 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $937 million on 20,039 claims filed in Monmouth County; the most in one year was 10,109 in 2012. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 204 · 1979: 95 · 1980: 50 · 1981: 8 · 1982: 8 · 1983: 46 · 1984: 1,095 · 1985: 151 · 1986: 6 · 1987: 112 · 1988: 55 · 1989: 60 · 1990: 17 · 1991: 407 · 1992: 3,456 · 1993: 166 · 1994: 85 · 1995: 15 · 1996: 192 · 1997: 22 · 1998: 82 · 1999: 41 · 2000: 27 · 2001: 29 · 2002: 48 · 2003: 27 · 2004: 22 · 2005: 389 · 2006: 21 · 2007: 51 · 2008: 23 · 2009: 29 · 2010: 417 · 2011: 1,781 · 2012: 10,109 · 2013: 55 · 2014: 64 · 2015: 17 · 2016: 18 · 2017: 26 · 2018: 103 · 2019: 21 · 2020: 11 · 2021: 68 · 2022: 31 · 2023: 163 · 2024: 34 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 65.
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 Monmouth County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Monmouth 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 | $91M | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very High | $4.2M | 32 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.4M | 9.2 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $24M | 6.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $110M | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.8M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | $7.6M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $14M | once in about 518 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Monmouth 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 Monmouth CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Monmouth County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis