Morris County, New Jersey
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 34027 · population 508,868 · 461 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,332 records for Morris County, New Jersey from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 979 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (357 records). 673 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 149 flood or flash floods there since 1996, with 2 deaths; its 9,463 flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA) rank 57th of 2,942 U.S. counties; the deadliest named storm on its flood record is Hurricane Irene (2011). The deadliest single record is the October 29, 2012 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Morris, which covers the county: 3 deaths, 2 injuries and $64,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 33 declarations naming the county since 1965, 30 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
- 1,332on 979 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1175 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $455Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 33latest 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 Morris County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 357 since 1963. 55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 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 | 357 | 184 | 1963-2026 | 2 | 11 | $3.8M | 13 of 20 |
| Winter storms | 322 | 316 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 10 | $6.0M | 9 of 20 |
| Floods | 149 | 129 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 6 | $427M | 13 of 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | 127 | 122 | 1996-2020 | 4 | 6 | $9.7M | 18 of 20 |
| Heat | 76 | 76 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 20 | – | 12 of 20 |
| Hail | 72 | 50 | 1975-2024 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 10 of 20 |
| Heavy rain | 51 | 47 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $142K | 16 of 20 |
| Lightning | 49 | 40 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 7 | $1.5M | 9 of 20 |
| Drought | 41 | 41 | 1997-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 of 20 |
| Extreme cold | 35 | 34 | 1996-2022 | 3 | 0 | – | 9 of 20 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 34 | 33 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 20 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1951-2021 | 0 | 14 | $6.0M | 17 of 20 |
| Wildfires | 8 | 8 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 1 | – | 11 of 20 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 3 | 2008-2020 | 0 | 0 | $656K | 18 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 Morris County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Morris County from 1951 to 2021, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 14 injuries recorded in the county. 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched Morris County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-05-28 18:00, as SPC files it | Morristown | F3 | 0.4 mi | 0 |
| 1973-05-28 18:55, as SPC files it | Netcong | F3 | 0.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in New Jersey.
Every tornado record filed for Morris County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-19 | Rockaway, Morris County | EF0 0.87 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-10-31 | Green Vlg, Morris County | EF1 4.87 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-24 | Morris County | F1 6.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-07-20 | Morris County | F2 3.6 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-05-28 | Morris County | F3 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 12 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Morris County | F3 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1971-07-19 | Morris County | F1 1 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1951-04-29 | Morris County | F1 0.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 2 | $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 Morris County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 19, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Flash FloodPicatinny, Morris County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindMorristown, Morris County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindMendham, Morris County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindDenville, Morris County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindMontville, Morris County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindLake Hiawatha, Morris County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindBoonton, Morris County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindDover, Morris County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindMontville, Morris County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-09 | Dense FogMorris County · forecast zone Morris | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindDover, Morris County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Dense FogMorris County · forecast zone Morris | 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 WindMorris County · forecast zone Morris 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 | 3 | 2 | $64K |
| 2005-01-28 | Cold/Wind ChillMorris County · forecast zone Morris The combination of light winds courtesy of being located under a large high pressure system and snow cover produced for many locations one of the coldest mornings of the winter season in New Jersey. Low temperatures were mainly around zero, but some lows in the northwest part of the state were colder than 10 degrees ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindConvent Station, Morris County One person died and One other person critically injured when a tree fell onto a moving car traveling on Ford Road. Person died on June 22, 2018. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2011-08-28 | FloodMilton, Morris County Morris County was greatly effected by flooding from Irene, especially along the Passaic and Pompton Rivers. In Dover Township, a construction worker fell off a bridge, was washed away and drowned in the Rockaway River. About 4,000 homes in the county were affected by flood waters in Pequannock, Lincoln Park, Dover, ... | 1 | 0 | $262M | |
| 2005-10-16 | Strong WindMorris County · forecast zone Morris A strong northwest flow round a deepening low pressure system produced wind gusts to around 40 mph during the day on the 16th. Under normal circumstances, tree damage would be less, but the week of unseasonably wet weather loosened the soil. This was exacerbated by the unseasonably warm weather which kept more leaves ... | 35 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $151K |
| 2004-01-25 | Cold/Wind ChillMorris County · forecast zone Morris An elderly woman in Long Hill Township froze to death after she slipped on ice in her backyard and fell into a basement window well. Her body was found on the 26th. The overnight low temperature on the 25th in Long Valley (Morris County) was zero. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-08-16 | Thunderstorm WindMt Hope, Morris County A squall line of severe thunderstorms caused widespread tree damage, mainly in the northeast half, and killed one person in Morris County. A 53 year-old-male from Denville died of a heart attack after being hospitalized for injuries sustained from being hit by a four foot wide tree limb while retrieving the mail. ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1996-01-27 | FloodMorris County · forecast zone Morris One to one and a half inches of rain fell on saturated soil and caused flooding of the larger streams and rivers in Northwest New Jersey. A 71-year-old man died from hypothermia after his rowboat capsized and fell into the Passaic River near Forest Avenue in Lincoln Park in Morris County the evening of the 28th. ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Morris County | 0 | 6 | $53M | |
| 2007-04-15 | FloodGillette, Morris County | 0 | 0 | $37M | |
| 2000-08-12 | Flash FloodCountywide, Morris County | 0 | 0 | $21M | |
| 2010-03-13 | FloodSterling, Morris County | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2011-03-07 | FloodLincoln Park, Morris County | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2021-09-01 | Flash FloodLong Vly, Morris County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 1999-09-16 | High WindMorris County · forecast zone Morris | 0 | 2 | $5.3M | |
| 1996-01-07 | BlizzardMorris County · forecast zone Morris | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
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: May 28, 1973 (tornado, Morris County); July 19, 1971 (tornado, Morris County); May 28, 1973 (tornado, Morris 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 Morris 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 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 48 | 48 | 97 | 145 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 34 | 117 | 117 | 54 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 19 | 48 | 58 | 24 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 66 | 41 | 1 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 23 | 27 | 15 | 11 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 18 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1963 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 153 · Feb 139 · Mar 119 · Apr 59 · May 73 · Jun 132 · Jul 226 · Aug 115 · Sep 65 · Oct 57 · Nov 59 · Dec 135 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Morris County
FEMA's register lists 33 declarations that include Morris County: 22 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (10) and severe storm (8).
| 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 |
| 2018-06-08 | DR-4368 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2000-08-17 | DR-1337 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 1984-04-12 | DR-701 | Flood | Coastal Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-10-19 | EM-3083 | Drought | Water Shortage |
| 1975-07-23 | DR-477 | Flood | Heavy Rains, High Winds, Hail & Tornadoes |
| 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 Morris County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 149 flood or flash flood records for Morris County from 1996 to 2026, on 129 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Morris County ranks 57th of 2,942 U.S. counties. The 100 counties with the most claims
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 3 | 1 |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $201 million on 9,463 claims filed in Morris County; the most in one year was 2,971 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 128 · 1979: 433 · 1980: 199 · 1981: 28 · 1982: 21 · 1983: 315 · 1984: 1,081 · 1985: 13 · 1986: 10 · 1987: 141 · 1989: 111 · 1990: 30 · 1991: 3 · 1992: 46 · 1993: 43 · 1994: 32 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 289 · 1997: 8 · 1998: 37 · 1999: 791 · 2000: 136 · 2001: 6 · 2002: 4 · 2003: 50 · 2004: 5 · 2005: 444 · 2006: 16 · 2007: 639 · 2008: 22 · 2009: 14 · 2010: 875 · 2011: 2,971 · 2012: 52 · 2013: 7 · 2014: 10 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 12 · 2021: 175 · 2022: 5 · 2023: 161 · 2024: 63 · 2025: 6 · 2026: 4; 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 Morris County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Morris County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $208 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 | $1.4M | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $6.1M | 6.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $158M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $15M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $2.0M | 33 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.6M | 6.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $6.3M | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $6.4M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Morris 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 Morris CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Morris County's FEMA declarations (CSV)33 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis